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

Senator Cameron, if I may finish the point I was making at the end of my answer to your primary question, there is no point in getting your colleague Senator Farrell to ask me a question based on trends and then, in response to your question, refuse to accept that the trend is the appropriate measure rather than picking out one quarter which is contradictory to the trend. Senator, the fact is that over the last three years wages have outpaced inflation. That is a reality.

Senator Cameron, let me come to the assertion you make, which is false, that the government has argued against penalty rates for Sunday workers. That is simply not the case. What we do is we respect the independence of the Fair Work Commission, the independent umpire—created by your government to be the independent umpire—and so should you. (Time expired)