Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) Share this | Hansard source

I repeat that, in the example you're giving, proposing to take protected industrial action, which is a legal right that employers and employees have, does not amount to the negation of choice and the use of unlawful, illegitimate or unconscionable means. Similarly, just as you give an example of employees proposing to take protected action, if an employer was to propose to lock out its employees in line with the law, that would not be coercion because it's not unlawful, illegitimate or unconscionable. What would be unlawful, illegitimate or unconscionable, and therefore could amount to coercion, is unprotected industrial action, unlawful intimidation or threats.