House debates Questions without Notice
Workplace Relations
Brendan O'Connor Gorton, Australian Labor Party
2:49 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister believe that losing the right to have a toilet break after working four hours of a shift is worth 2c an hour?
David Hawker Speaker
Order! In calling the Prime Minister: that question is very much a question of opinion. But if the Prime Minister chooses to answer it he may.
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I will choose to answer it, Mr Speaker. I will take the opportunity of repeating what I said earlier—that is, that the reforms that we have introduced to the workplace relations law are going to result in more jobs, higher living standards, higher wages and a stronger Australian economy. I invite the opposition to go on asking these specific questions as long as they like, just as they did in 1996, 1997 and 1998. My friend and colleague the Minister for Transport and Regional Services has just reminded me that, when we introduced the reforms to the Australian waterfront, we were told by those who sit opposite—
Kim Beazley Brand, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order going to relevance. It was a question explicitly on the removal of the toilet break from the Spotlight AWA.
David Hawker Speaker
Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. Has the Prime Minister completed his answer?
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
No, Mr Speaker, I have not finished my answer.
David Hawker Speaker
I call the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is in order.
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
When we introduced those reforms in 1998 the opposition railed against them. They defended the outrageous practices of the Maritime Union of Australia. They predicted that the Australian waterfront would not become more efficient. Eight years later we have hourly crane rates on the Australian waterfront that are the envy of the rest of the world. Just as they said the world would come to an end—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. Under standing order 104, the question was very short and concise. It was about—
David Hawker Speaker
The member for Grayndler will resume his seat. I will rule on his point of order. I call the Prime Minister. Has the Prime Minister completed his answer?
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
No. I will just wind up on this point. I am warming to my task! The minister for agriculture reminds me that they said over there—
Brendan O'Connor Gorton, Australian Labor Party
Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order going to relevance.
David Hawker Speaker
The member for Gorton will resume his seat. The Prime Minister had barely begun to continue his answer. I call the Prime Minister.
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
They said it was physically impossible to achieve crane rates of 22 an hour. They are now at 27 an hour. There is a working rule on industrial relations debate in this chamber: never believe those who sit opposite.