Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

I am here to help, so it is nice to know that every now and then the opposition can make the odd suggestion that is taken up. The assurances that the parliamentary secretary gives are the sorts of assurances that one would expect the government to give in matters such as this, but they were identical, or similar, in relation to the Fair Work Act and the way the Fair Work Ombudsman would undertake his activities. In recent times we have had the Federal Court decision of the Fair Work Ombudsman v Ballina Island Resort, if I recall correctly, where the federal magistrate was highly critical of the high-handed approach taken by the Fair Work Ombudsman in relation to the matter for not having actually sought to educate and overcome some of the issues; they were in fact just technical issues. I will not seek to delay the committee much longer in relation to this matter, but once again confirm the coalition's very, very strong concerns about how this will impact, especially in relation to small businesses.

Question negatived.