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

I thank the honourable member for his question. The fundamental issue for the Labor Party here is: do they support the independent umpire in industrial relations? That is the fundamental question. It was a question that need not have been posed at all a few months ago, until the Leader of the Opposition abandoned a 120-year commitment to the independent industrial umpire. Are honourable members opposite suggesting that, if members of parliament think that the decision in the next minimum wage case is 50c out or 40c out, there should be an act of parliament to correct it? Are they going to suggest that?

An opposition member: No.

The honourable member says 'no'. That is the fundamental point.

The Fair Work Commission considered carefully the impact on wages and it considered carefully the impact on employment. It heard evidence from many small-business operators saying that a reduction in penalty rates on Sundays and public holidays would enable them to be open when they are not open now, employ staff when they cannot currently employ them. And this is how the Fair Work Commission described that evidence—this is a commission, every member of which was appointed by the Labor Party on a reference from the Leader of the Opposition, chaired by Mr Ross, a former official of the ACTU. The commission said the evidence given by hospitality industry employers was 'cogent', 'relevant' and 'persuasive'.

That was the Fair Work Commission's judgement after considering that evidence. They went through one case after another of people running restaurants, running hotels, who said they would be open longer. They heard Mr Trengove, owner and manager of the Mulga Hill Tavern in Broken Hill, with 33 employees. He said the hotel is run by skeleton staff on Sundays and public holidays—

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