House debates Questions without Notice
Workplace Relations
Stephen Smith Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations
2:34 pm
My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, and I again refer to the AWA offered by Australian Sweets to its employees. Isn’t it the case that this AWA provides for work at any hour of the day on any day of the week, abolishes all overtime payments, abolishes weekend penalty rates and abolishes annual leave loadings? Minister, why do you arrogantly ignore hundreds of thousands of Australians who told you today that AWAs like this unfairly strip away their conditions and entitlements?
Kevin Andrews Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service
If the member for Perth did any study of industrial laws he would know that an existing employee cannot be forced onto a different sort of agreement. That is in the law, and it is protected in the law.
Stephen Smith Perth, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Industry, Infrastructure and Industrial Relations
Mr Stephen Smith interjecting
Kevin Andrews Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service
You keep waving that around, Member for Perth; let me wave around something that might be relevant. The Australian today said:
Several Labor MPs told The Australian last night Mr Smith’s actions were “appalling” and he was a “dud”—
Anthony Albanese Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Manager of Opposition Business in the House
Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order.
Kevin Andrews Menzies, Liberal Party, Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for the Public Service
Yes.