Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you very much, Mr Speaker. So the opposition has consistently raised the spectre that the minister could have just dashed off a declaration. That is not legally correct.

Then, what the opposition has consistently failed to acknowledge is that the government, in taking the action that it took, ensured that this dispute was brought to an end. I do note—because I think for completeness on the public record it should be noted—the relevant department advised the government to take the proceedings under the section that the government chose to use.

So, for all of this campaign of misleading, I would say to the opposition: the government acted to bring this dispute to an end. We are concerned about the national economy and the travelling public. We are concerned about balance in the workplace relations system. The truth is, looking at the government and the opposition, the only people concerned about the travelling public and the only people concerned about balance in the workplace relations system are the government. (Time expired)

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