Joe Ludwig (Queensland, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

I rise to speak on the Fair Work Amendment Bill 2014. This bill, should it pass, will make a number of amendments to the Fair Work Act of 2009 to respond to a number of outstanding recommendations of the 2012 Fair Work Act review. With this bill, the Abbott government continues its attack on Australians. First there was the government's budget of cruelty, with a feigned budget crisis to justify cuts to those on low incomes. Then there was a nothing budget, which was really the same budget over again. Now it is the turn of Australian workers, a favourite coalition stomping ground.

Let's face it, when it comes to industrial relations, a coalition government just cannot help itself from reaching its hand into the pockets of workers, let alone one up to its neck once again in a revised Work Choices. I cannot count the number of times those on the other side have said, 'Work Choices is dead, buried and cremated. We are never going to have another look at it again.' Yet every time you see a workplace relations bill from this government it has the shades of Work Choices wrapped around it.

At the slightest hint of power, they are busy in the back rooms again, scheming and devising a dodgy deal with which to erode, compromise and undermine the rights, entitlements and safety of ordinary working Australians.

Senator Birmingham interjecting—

I will not engage on what I know you might be up to in South Australia.