Mitch Fifield (Victoria, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Social Services) Share this | Hansard source

I am sorry, Mr Deputy President, but if the interjections continue, I may be forced to make reference to a Tasmanian publication of record. I would not want to be tempted to do that. But I will continue.

There were some significant qualifications in the previous government's Aged Care Workforce Supplement, and they included a requirement for certain aged-care providers to be part of an enterprise bargaining agreement with unions in order to access funds. That clearly was a cover for the Australian Labor Party in government yet again trying to use a sector in order to entrench further union membership. We on this side of the chamber are not at all against union membership. We recognise the important role that unions play in Australia, and that employees have an entitlement to be represented in the manner of their choosing. Our issue is that we do not believe that individuals should in any way be compelled, nor do we believe, for that matter, that employers should be placed in a position where they will be penalised or coerced through financial incentives to have a workplace that may do other than represent the free will of employees as expressed.