Chris Hayes (Fowler, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Gorton for his MPI topic of failing to protect the living and working conditions of Australian workers. Member for Gorton, is that not saying the bleeding obvious when we are dealing with this government? How can you trust this Prime Minister after he said, 'We will not touch working conditions'? Do you trust him? Those on the other side have not said, 'Yes,' because they know that they, like he, are part of the party of WorkChoices. Some of us were here when they introduced this legislation into the parliament. They brought it in here, they did not want to debate it—no mandate—but when we finally got to the detail those opposite were embarrassed. When they looked at the detail they found for the first time in Australian history that they had made it legal to pay people below the minimum award rate.

That is the party of WorkChoices. When the Prime Minister says, 'Trust us, we are not going to touch working conditions'—

Ms Butler interjecting—

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