Linda Reynolds (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I too rise to speak on the Fair Work Legislation Amendment (Secure Jobs, Better Pay) Bill 2022. I can hardly say the words 'secure jobs and better pay', because the bill will do neither. Senator Tyrell, bravo to you. That was a great articulation of everything that is wrong with this bill and the utter disgrace it is.

Many of my colleagues have gone through the many ways that this is destructive and duplicitous and spoken about the lack of transparency and consultation for the largest change to our IR system in over 30 years. The government is introducing, as we have heard, 250 pages of legislation that this place has had less than a month to review. There are150 amendments, plus all of these nurses' ball amendments from Senator Pocock. With the greatest degree of hubris I have heard in this chamber in eight years, he is suddenly riding in on a big white horse to save us all from having to do the job that we do very well: scrutinising important, significant legislation for this nation.

I couldn't help thinking last night, while listening to Senator Pocock's extraordinary contribution to this debate, where he referred to himself over 100 times—I have never heard anybody talk about themselves so much in a speech—but it was like he was coming in, this great activist, to save Australian workers, as if he is the only person in this place who wants people to have jobs and to have good conditions and wages as high as can be afforded. Colleagues, let me tell you: Senator Pocock is not riding into Australia on a big white horse to help us all single-handedly; he is riding the trade union Trojan horse into workplaces right across this nation. It is a disgrace.

Sadly, Senator Pocock, the way you have behaved on this legislation, it was clear last night you believed what you were saying: that you can have consultations on behalf of the ACT—