Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise on a matter of public interest—that is, the report of the International Trade Union Congress on violations of trade union rights. Trade unionists around the world face huge challenges. Here, in Australia, they face the challenge of well-organised and well-resourced business groups doing their best to defeat collective bargaining and representative rights. They face unfounded accusations from ignorant and self-serving business leaders and those opposite who say that unions are to blame for the recent decline in Australia's productivity growth. The argument is: just get rid of those nasty unions and everything will be okay.