Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

The Fair Work Commission determines what a fair rate of pay is in relation to the modern award, and for any enterprise bargaining agreement to be successful it will need the vote of the workers or a determination of the Fair Work Commission. If you think that I should be supplanting my decision over the vote of the workers and over the decision of the Fair Work Commission, then that is a new chapter that is about to be written by the Australian Labor Party in the history of industrial relations in this nation. I would have thought we were on a unity ticket, up until today, that wages should be determined by the Fair Work Commission. If you want the government to now determine what the wage rates should be, so be it—make that your policy for the next election—but we will be supporting the Fair Work Commission determining what a fair rate of pay is. I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper.