Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The Leader of the Opposition will resume his seat. Has the Prime Minister completed his answer?

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No, Mr Speaker, I have not finished my answer.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I call the Prime Minister. The Prime Minister is in order.

John Howard (Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I raise a point of order going to relevance.

David Hawker (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

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.