Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

The answer to your question, Senator Farrell, is no, but I will just remind you of the steps that your government took in relation to protecting foreign workers. It was your government that slashed the budget of the Fair Work Ombudsman; we have recently given the Fair Work Ombudsman an additional $20 million to make up for your shortfall. It was your government that slashed the staff of the Fair Work Ombudsman. It was your government that failed to introduce any policies to deal with the exploitation of foreign workers; we on this side have consistently introduced policies. But, as I said, the good news is this, Senator Farrell: you and I can sit down next week, we can work through our policy and, if you like, when we return in the week of 20 March, we can put it through, hopefully with the support of others, on Thursday as a noncontroversial bill.