George Brandis (Queensland, Liberal Party, Attorney-General) Share this | Hansard source

What we support, Senator Cameron, is the independence of the Fair Work Commission. It may very well be that the Australian Labor Party, as part of its latest round of political stunts, made a submission at a time when the Fair Work Commission was dealing with transitional arrangements in relation to the particular industry which you reference. The fact is the government does not seek to influence those outcomes, in relation to the substantive determinations of the Fair Work Commission, as it did not in relation to the determination on Sunday penalty rates. What it does, though, is respect the Fair Work Commission's independence, as should you, Senator Cameron. We know that you have spent your career in the industrial relations area, so you, Senator Cameron, more than anybody in this chamber, ought to understand the importance of respecting determinations by the umpire, but evidently you do not. (Time expired)