Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

Well, Senator Forshaw, you do not particularly like the fact that right across New South Wales there was a swing, and there was a swing against the Labor Party in their own heartland. Mount Druitt for example: almost 1½ per cent. In Mulgoa, Karen Chijoff: a swing of almost eight per cent. Andy Rohan in the seat of Smithfield: almost 10½ per cent to the Liberal Party. And I have to say: how pleasing was it in the seats, in the Illawarra, of Wollongong and Keira to see, after preferences were distributed, the ALP suffer a swing against them.

As Peter Debnam said on election night, the people of New South Wales chose to give the Labor Party one last chance even though this government is so grossly incompetent at many, many levels. The assumption of course, Senator Forshaw, is that just because a government is incompetent and unpopular the electorate will not throw them out. You have to have an effective opposition—and I would remember that, Senator Forshaw, in the months to come.

There have been some quite ridiculous claims made in the media recently about how the New South Wales opposition lost the election because of the Work Choices legislation introduced by the Howard government. I strongly support Work Choices. It is an important piece of legislation for continued growth and prosperity in Australia. If Work Choices were to be reversed, it would be the first reversal in 25 years of a major economic reform in this country. I think it is important that we stand firm against the Labor and union onslaught in this area. It would otherwise send a message to the international community that we have given up on economic reform—in particular, continued reform—and, in the process, say to the international community, ‘It is too hard to continue.’

I believe Work Choices is good for the future of this country. There have been some unfair allegations that it is unfair. What on earth is unfair about the fact that we have the lowest unemployment level in 32 years? What is unfair about the fact that we have the lowest level of industrial disputation since 1913? What is unfair about the growth in real wages?