Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. Is the minister aware that, yesterday, 26 workers at ASC in South Australia were sacked by phone and text message? If so, when did he first become aware of that?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In relation to the question that I have just been asked, I can indicate that I am not aware of the full details. I will take that on notice to ascertain whether the matters contained in the honourable senator's question are, in fact, factual.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Does the minister consider that sacking ASC workers by text message is: 'an appropriate methodology', just like he did at Hutchison Ports?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That is the reason why I did not accept the basis of Senator Wong's first question, which she has followed up with a second question which is demonstrably false. It follows on from that which Senator Cameron tried to do the other day, by only quoting part of what I said to the media. As a result of Senator Cameron's antics, even Peter van Onselen gave him the wooden spoon for question time, because I was able to expose the falsehood of the assertion made in Senator Cameron's question. That question is now being followed up by Senator Wong. I said no such thing—what I did say was that it was important that employees and employers regard each other with due respect and treat each other accordingly. (Time expired)

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. How many other Australian workers will face the sack by phone, text message and email before this employment minister acts in the interests of Australian workers?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

As the honourable senator knows, if it is lawful to dismiss people in this manner, it is as a result of Labor's own Fair Work Act. If it is illegal, then that is a matter to be determined—as I have always said—by the independent umpire, the Fair Work Commission. These matters need to be ventilated and resolved in the Fair Work Commission, not by the sort of partisanship that we have witnessed from Senator Cameron and Senator Wong.