Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for her question. I answer the question in the words of her leader: 'An independent umpire is fundamental to the industrial relations system in Australia.'

A government member: Who said that?

That was said by her leader. He said:

I think it is an anathema to the best interests of working people to start handing to a politicised Parliament control of wage rates in this country. You know—

said the honourable member's leader—

I see some on the Greens and far left say, well that's a simple answer, don't have an independent umpire. My concern is that would be loading a gun for a future conservative Government to pull the trigger and attack penalty rates.

We are a conservative government—a Liberal-National government. We are supporting the independent umpire, which the honourable member's party established, referred the issue to, appointed the members of and stood beside and stood up for until political cynicism, populism, overtook them. They abandoned the principle that the Labor movement had adopted for 120 years.

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