House debates Questions without Notice
Workplace Relations
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
2:45 pm
My question again is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Will the minister provide an absolute guarantee to the parliament that the government will not introduce conditions into the federal-state healthcare funding agreements which require that Australia’s 250,000 nurses be pushed onto Australian Workplace Agreements?
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
No, I have decided to take it, Mr Speaker.
Unidentified interjection - Hansard doesn't record who said this
Opposition Members:
Opposition members interjecting—
John Howard Bennelong, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
I have considered this matter, particularly in the light of what the deputy leader had to say at the doors, and let me assure her we have no proposal to do any such thing.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Say ‘never ever’! Is that a rock-solid, ironclad guarantee?
Simon Crean Hotham, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Trade and Regional Development
That’s code. That’s a ‘never-ever’ promise!
David Hawker Speaker
Order! Members are holding up their own question time.