Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Earlier in question time the Prime Minister said, 'I want to make it absolutely crystal clear that no cleaner's pay is reduced.' Will the Prime Minister stand up again and guarantee that no cleaner will have their pay reduced as a result of his changes to the Commonwealth Cleaning Services Guidelines, and how is anything less fair?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This government has not reduced the pay of any cleaner full stop, end of story. This government has not reduced the pay of any cleaner.

Mr Shorten interjecting—

The Leader of the Opposition, who cannot help interjecting, should stop telling untruths. He should stop telling untruths. And let me repeat yet again quite slowly for the Leader of the Opposition: no cleaner in this country—

Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Weasel words!

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

can be employed other than under an industrial award or agreement. No cleaner can be employed other than on the basis of the award or better. That is the simple truth now, it was the simple truth yesterday and it will be the simple truth tomorrow. The trouble with this Leader of the Opposition is that he is always trying to distort the truth. He is always trying to promote a scare. This is a Leader of the Opposition who has no solutions, just complaints.