House debates Questions without Notice

Fair Work Commission

Thursday, 20 August 2015 House of Representatives

Brendan O'Connor

Brendan O'Connor Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations

3:05 pm

My question is to the Prime Minister. Does the Prime Minister stand by his statement about his personal pick for vice president of the industrial relations umpire, Michael Lawler, when he said, 'Vice-president Lawler has the human insights, intellectual skills and strengths of character to enhance the commission’s work'?

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Honourable Members:

Honourable members interjecting—

Tony Smith

Tony Smith Speaker

Members will cease interjecting.

Mr Dutton interjecting—

The Minister for Immigration and Border Protection will cease interjecting.

Tony Abbott

Tony Abbott Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister

Again, I simply observe that it is curious that this is the level that members opposite have chosen to operate at. But, if members opposite have an issue with any member of the Fair Work Commission, there are appropriate processes in place, and they should take them.