House debates

Monday, 27 February 2017

Questions without Notice

Workplace Relations

2:09 pm

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

Yes, I think it was the CFMEU! I thank my friend for the inspiration there. That is undoubtedly what it was. But, of course, there is enormous experience on the other side of the House with trading away penalty rates. In fact, they are dab hands at it. We have talked about Cleanevent and its 2006 EBA, which was with the AWU, that specifically excluded penalty rates, public holiday pay, overtime and shift loading. It was saving Cleanevent $2 million a year in wages by 2010. That was a pretty good deal for the company. It entered into a 1998 EBA with the AWU, which saved the company up to $400 million to 2004, after removing night-shift penalties and weekend loadings. So the Leader of the Opposition has a lot of experience trading away penalty rates there. It is a long list—Chiquita Mushrooms, Cirque du Soleil. The Leader of the Opposition is an absolute expert in trading away penalty rates. He used to be an authority on respecting the independent umpire, but now I am afraid that he has been reprogrammed.

Opposition members interjecting

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