Senator BARTLETT (2:58 PM) —My question is to the minister representing the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Can the minister outline the total amount of taxpayers money spent to date by the government on developing, producing and publishing advertising, and other information material, to promote the workplace relations policies of the Liberal and National parties? What is the total amount of taxpayers money that the government has budgeted to spend on this matter by the end of this year?

Senator ABETZ (Special Minister of State) —Can I thank the new look Senator Bartlett for his question. In relation to the government campaign, it has been a long established practice by government. When we are a government, we do not take on that role as a Liberal-National Party government per se, but as a government for the people of Australia, and we have a right to communicate with the Australian people. The Australian Labor Party and the Democrats have run campaigns against us in relation to our informing the Australian people about important things such as national security and tax reform. The Australian people have basically said to them that appropriate campaigns will be supported by the Australian people at the ballot box.

In relation to industrial relations changes, there are significant changes which will be of real benefit to workers. We also need to ensure that the workers of Australia are made fully aware of all of their rights and entitlements against employers that potentially might want to rip off employees. So it is important—

Senator Carr —How much taxpayers’ money are you burning?

The PRESIDENT —Order! Senator Abetz, I remind you of the question.

Senator ABETZ —Mr President, there were numerous aspects of the question and I think I still have about two-and-a-bit minutes to go. Senator Carr was at a Senate committee hearing just on Friday dealing with this very issue.

Opposition senators interjecting—

The PRESIDENT —Order! If the minister wants to continue, fine. I would remind him of the question, but it is very difficult with the noise that is going on on my left.

Senator ABETZ —As I was saying, it is vitally important that the workers of Australia be made fully conversant with the facts of our proposals so that their rights can be protected, so they know what their entitlements are. What we as a government will do is run a campaign that is sufficient to ensure that the workers of Australia fully know what their entitlements are. When we are two days into the announcement, it is impossible to assert and state how much will be spent on such a campaign. It is trick question 101 from backbenchers school, and I would have thought that Senator Bartlett would have known better than to try to bowl one of those. It stands to reason that we as a government will monitor the situation to ensure that the workers of Australia are made fully aware of their rights and entitlements—and, as a result, no final figure has been put on it and I do not intend to put a final figure on it. We will do that which is necessary to ensure that the workers of Australia have a full understanding of all their rights and entitlements and all the benefits that will be flowing to them under our proposals.

Senator BARTLETT —Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Is the minister seriously trying to tell the Senate and the Australian people that there is no budget set aside for the total amount of advertising and other information expenditure on this campaign that he insists is so important? I also ask him to indicate whether or not the government, unlike with the Telstra legislation, will actually allow a proper and adequate Senate committee inquiry into this very complex area of law, or will the public just be left with an unknown amount of their own money being spent on telling them, via their television screens every night, how good it is?

Senator ABETZ (Special Minister of State) —The fact that there was no separate line item in the budget in relation to the workplace relations campaign was something that those opposite took to the High Court and failed on. They miserably failed on that. Now they are coming in here trying to tell the Australian people that somehow the High Court got it wrong. If the Australian people have a choice between the views of Senator Bartlett and the views of the High Court, could I commend to them the views of the High Court. In relation to Telstra, I understand that Senator Bartlett is in fact suggesting that we should engage in a public relations campaign on that, and I will draw his views to the attention of the Prime Minister.