Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

These are events that occurred last year—March last year—and I would think that they were in previous budget papers; certainly not in this budget paper. I will seek advice, but I do not think there is anything about Work Choices or any of the expenditure in these current budget papers. We are very happy to talk about Work Choices and our workplace relations system. We are always happy to talk about it because it is one of the reasons why we get to the unemployment rate of 4.2 per cent, with strong economic growth, the foundations for strong productivity growth and the basis upon which you help to build family income. So that is a pretty good formula. Even the member for Gorton, who is a bit wet behind the ears in this place, would understand that. Old Snowy would know—the member for Lingiari is a wise man and would know. He has been around for a very long time and he would be able to verify that you get good economic data only by putting in place the economic reforms that help to deliver it.

I am absolutely convinced that, when it came to marketing programs in the past, years ago, I do not think it was about selling a brand as much as it was about promoting changes to the workplace relations system that took us from a 20th century system that the Labor Party still longs for, and has promised to return to, to a 21st century system of industrial relations where there is flexibility in the workplace and where Australians are empowered to make their dreams come true when it comes to their workplace ambitions, rather than relying on the misguided and at times totally inappropriate third-party intervention of the trade union bosses. I know there is a soft spot amongst the Labor Party brothers and sisters for trade union bosses, because a lot of you guys come from trade union stock. In fact, 70 per cent of the Leader of the Opposition’s frontbench are former trade union officials and, of course, 100 per cent of the parliamentary members of the Labor Party are in fact members of the trade union movement—not that we have got anything against trade unions, mind you. They do a good job for 15 per cent of the electorate.

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