House debates Questions without Notice
Workplace Relations
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health
2:41 pm
My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister guarantee the decision to cut penalty rates in the retail and hospitality industries will not lead to the pay of Australians working in other industries being cut—people like nurses, who work late nights and weekends caring for the sick and injured? Why won't the Prime Minister support Labor's legislation to protect the penalty rates of all Australians?
Mr Hawke interjecting—
Mr Craig Kelly interjecting—
Tony Smith Speaker
Members on my right, the member for Mitchell and the member for Hughes, will cease interjecting. The Prime Minister has the call.
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
2:42 pm
The honourable member knows very well that the commission went to great pains to make it very clear that the decision does not affect any awards other than those dealt with in the decision. What the honourable member is promoting—
Ms Catherine King interjecting—
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
is yet another reckless scare campaign to frighten Australians.
Ms Catherine King Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health
What's to stop it?
Malcolm Turnbull Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister
The honourable member knows very well that this decision will apply only—
Tony Smith Speaker
The Prime Minister will resume his seat for a second. The member for Ballarat has a habit that I have warned her of numerous times of interjecting consistently after she has asked a question. I have called her to order a number of times on that. The level of interjections is too high. I am not going to keep doing it. The member for Ballarat can leave under 94(a).
The member for Ballarat then left the chamber.
The Prime Minister has the call. Has the Prime Minister concluded his answer?