Senator JOHNSTON (2:20 PM) —My question is to the Special Minister of State, Senator Abetz, representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Will the minister outline to the Senate the benefits to Australian workers and their families of Australian workplace agreements? Is the minister aware of any alternative policies?

Senator ABETZ (Special Minister of State) —I thank Senator Johnston for his question and for his longstanding interest in workplace relations matters, especially in his home state of Western Australia. Yesterday I outlined to this place the benefits which AWAs bring to Australian workers by allowing simple, fair and understandable workplace agreements. I also remind the Senate of the important fact that workers on AWAs are, on average, 13 per cent better off than those on collective agreements.

Senator Johnston’s question allows me to outline to senators yet another benefit of AWAs, and that is the family-friendly and worker-specific conditions which AWAs allow for. Take, for example, Banjo’s Bakery in Strahan in my home state of Tasmania. As you know, Mr President, Strahan is a tourist town which booms over summer and has a significant lull over winter. Formerly, this Strahan bakery employed all its workers under the award, meaning that during summer they had to employ extra casual staff and pay huge penalty rates to their workers; yet, over winter, they had no work for their workers. As a result, they actually went out of business—which benefited absolutely no-one. However, by utilising Australian workplace agreements, the new owner and the workers have been able to come up with working conditions which benefit all parties, keep the business operating and keep the workers in a job. A key component of this AWA is that employees take their annual leave between June and August, when work is at a minimum, helping to ensure that they are available to work in the summer peak and giving them the benefit of permanent employment—a permanent job—with all its flow-on benefits.

Or how about the family friendly nature of the AWAs at Crafty Kids, where staff are able to take as much unpaid sick or personal leave as they need, for example in order to look after their children. In exchange for receiving no pay for the days they choose to have off, staff are paid 20 per cent more than the award rate for their working hours and receive a generous bonus when the business exceeds its annual forecast. I could go on. The benefits to workers of AWAs are clear.

I was asked about alternative policies. Labor’s official policy platform is to abolish AWAs. Of course, that has been dictated by Labor’s union masters. But let us have another ‘Who said it?’ Who said this: ‘We will legislate in a way that effectively does the job’—that is, ‘We will legislate to abolish AWAs’? Who said that? Those on the other side ought to know. Senator Marshall is trying to indicate that he himself said it. Those opposite should know. It was the same person who said this—and this is a hint for those opposite: ‘Labor could not desert them’—that is, workers on AWAs—‘by sticking to its policy of abolishing AWAs at the next election and then expect to receive their support.’ Do you know what? Those two statements, made by the same person, were made only seven days apart. Those opposite know exactly who said it, but they are too ashamed to name him: the Leader of the Opposition, Mr Beazley. Until Labor come clean on where they stand, they will never get the support of the Australian work force. (Time expired)