Mr McARTHUR (2:33 PM) —My question is addressed to the Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business. Is the minister aware of steps to remove impediments to productivity and efficiency advancements in the meat processing sector? What impact will this have on the industry, and is the minister aware of any alternative policies in this area?

Mr SPEAKER —The Minister for Employment, Workplace Relations and Small Business is, I hope, aware of the fact that he cannot comment on legislation that has recently passed the House.

Mr SPEAKER —The member for Bruce is warned.

Mr ABBOTT (Minister for Employment Services) —I am very conscious of the fact that I cannot revive debate but, certainly I think it is appropriate to welcome the fact that this House this morning, this parliament today, has passed legislation to finally remove tallies from meat industry awards. Under the old tally system workers would receive overtime once they had done a certain quantity of work. That meant that we had a kind of two-speed day in the meat industry—very fast work in the morning to reach the tally and rather slower work in the afternoon to clock up overtime. The tally provisions in the main meat industry award ran to no fewer than 47 pages—that was a 47-page obstacle to efficiency in this industry and higher pay for workers in the industry. Its removal is a great boost for an industry employing nearly 20,000 people and contributing nearly 1½ per cent to Australia's GDP. This is an important part of the award simplification process. Award simplification was a policy of the Keating government, but it is no longer a policy of the nark party opposite. What the Leader of the Opposition wants to do is to put all industrial matters back into awards. This means that the temperature of the water in the tea room, the number of beds on building sites and the quantum of trade union training leave would go back into awards, under members opposite. It can, however, once more be bipartisan policy.

I would like to refer to something that the member for Dickson said in October 1996 when she was Leader of the Democrats:

I am quoting her. She went on:

I am sure the member for Dickson believed it then and I am sure she believes it now. The member for Dickson would be doing Australia a great favour on this subject if she could persuade her new party to adopt her old principles.

Mr Speaker, with your indulgence, I would like to acknowledge the presence in the gallery of delegates to the national conference of the Australian Hotels Association.