Holidays and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015

As Treasurer and minister responsible, moved the bill and defended it as honouring an election commitment to restore Labour Day to its historically significant date in May, while also improving high-risk work licence processes.

“I am very proud to stand in this House and be overseeing a bill which is about restoring Labour Day to its rightful place in May.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Opposed the holiday changes as ideological payback to union bosses, arguing the LNP's decision to move Labour Day to October was sensible for national consistency and even holiday spread. Supported the high-risk work licence provisions.

“We will be opposing the provisions of the bill that relate to the change of the holiday.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

As committee chair, defended the bill as righting a wrong committed by the Newman government, noting the 2011 community consultation showed overwhelming support for moving the Queen's Birthday to October.

“This is yet another bill to right a wrong, which is the restoration of the Labour Day public holiday to the day which had been marked for the occasion for well over 100 years and which was stripped away by the LNP within six months of coming to government.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Spoke only in support of the high-risk work licence provisions, welcoming the streamlined online application process and privacy protections, and noting it continued reforms begun under the LNP government.

“I do welcome this legislation. This continues on the path that we put in place when we were in government previously in terms of reducing red tape for the whole transport industry.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill, arguing Labour Day deserves the same respect as other key holidays and belongs in May, criticising the LNP for shifting it as an insult to workers and the union movement.

“Labour Day is a day for workers; it is not a day that can be placed anywhere in the calendar. It deserves the same respect as other key holidays such as Australia Day.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Opposed the bill as deputy chair of the committee, arguing the government ignored 80 per cent of the evidence and listened only to unions representing 17 per cent of the workforce, while councils representing 100 per cent of Queenslanders opposed the changes.

“Once again in our committee system we are talking about this issue of evidence. That is what we are there for.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on an election commitment, citing the 2011 survey showing 85.4 per cent support for moving the Queen's Birthday to the second half of the year and the QTIC's preference for October.

“Some 24,505 people responded to this survey, with 19,393 or 85.4 per cent of those responding supporting shifting the Queen's Birthday public holiday to the second half of the year.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Opposed the holiday changes as ideological, arguing the government's sole agenda is undoing LNP reforms and listening only to the union movement rather than the broader Queensland community.

“It does appear as though Labor does not want to change the voting system in the House, though of course it remains to be seen what will happen tonight.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Spoke in favour of restoring Labour Day to May, sharing the stories of women from Blackwater whose husbands had been affected by BHP's move to non-permanent workforces, as an example of why celebrating workers matters.

“Next May, when Labour Day is back to where it belongs, I will be marching for these women and I know that thousands of my friends and colleagues in the labour movement will be right there alongside me.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Opposed the holiday changes, citing submissions from CCIQ, the Catholic Education Commission, and the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator supporting national consistency, and arguing the change only benefits union bosses.

“This amendment has virtually no support outside the union movement.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Took a historical perspective, arguing that May Day and the eight-hour day are shared heritage of both liberals and the working class, tracing the political coalition from colonial Queensland that achieved democratic reforms.

“The eight-hour day that we celebrate in May—where it should be—is your victory as well and we should all honour it.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Opposed the bill, arguing that no other state celebrates Labour Day in May, that the June Queen's Birthday is the only winter holiday suited to Queensland's climate, and highlighting the impact on the Winternationals drag racing event at Ipswich.

“The only public holiday that has a decent climate for most of Queensland is the June holiday.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill as restoring Labour Day to its rightful place for the 125th anniversary of the 1891 shearers' strike, noting the Barcaldine Regional Council mayor's support and her consultation with the Yeppoon Show Society.

“I am proud to support this bill because in 2016, the 125th anniversary of the shearers' strike, Labour Day will return to its rightful place in May.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Opposed the bill on grounds of national consistency and the negative impact on tourism in his electorate, noting that the October long weekend had provided extraordinary business for tourism operators on the Blackall Range.

“Last night I was on Bribie Island and I received the same feedback. October was the best season they have ever seen and they too want the opportunity to have Easter and Anzac Day in autumn, the Queen's Birthday weekend in June and Labour Day in October.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill, arguing Labour Day had been consistently celebrated in May for 121 years and the LNP's move was spiteful and without consultation, calling the LNP 'right-wing reactionaries' rather than conservatives.

“Not even the Bjelke-Petersen government, during its long years of rule in Queensland, had the gall to move Labour Day from its historically significant date.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill as delivering on an election commitment, arguing 80 per cent of the tourism sector supports the changes and that the 2015 election result was a community review endorsing the change.

“I note that 80 per cent of the tourism sector supports our changes. I note that shire councils support the restoration of Labour Day.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill as overturning the ideological attacks of the Newman government, arguing the change was backed by consultative reviews and was a justified election promise.

“The argument from those opposite that this is ideological is spot on. It is ideological. It is what is right.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Opposed the holiday changes as payback to union bosses, arguing the LNP's approach of national alignment and even spread was common sense, and that Labor's agenda was ideological rather than best practice public policy.

“The Holidays and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015, like the Industrial Relations (Restoring Fairness) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015 and the proposed Work Health and Safety and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2015, are all legislative evidence of an ideological agenda.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill, arguing the Newman government's change was arrogant and spiteful, and that the Palaszczuk government values workers and Queensland history.

“The stark difference is that we on this side of the House do value workers and their contribution to building Queensland or looking after Queensland.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Briefly stated his support for the bill.

“Labour Day is in May and that is where it should stay.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

As former Queensland Council of Unions General Secretary, delivered a history of the labour movement in Queensland from 1865 and criticised the LNP's 'so what' attitude to over 100 years of May Day tradition.

“For hundreds of years workers have been proudly marching with their families alongside their unions and never have they been threatened to have May Day changed in this state.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill, having represented the Premier at Labour Day celebrations in Barcaldine, and argued the change is good for both Western Queensland tourism and working people.

“In my speech to the good people of Barcaldine, I reinforced this government's commitment to restore the Labour Day holiday to its rightful place in May. The roar from the crowd was unbelievable.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard

Supported the bill, arguing the LNP's 2013 move illustrated their ideological obsession against the Labor movement and disdain for workers, and noting the Barcaldine Regional Council opposed moving Labour Day to October.

“This historically rich day celebrates the legacy of the working people of this state, a holiday which recognises the struggles and achievements of working people whom we on this side of the House actually like.”— 2015-10-13View Hansard