08-June-2010
Portfolio Media Releases, Workplace Relations
Subjects: Labor Party smear campaign, IR.
E&OE
SABRA LANE:
Opposition frontbencher and former Liberal party Director, Andrew Robb.
ANDREW ROBB:
What we're seeing with the Labor Party - there's a panic that's starting to permeate their ranks and the personal attacks. It will be, I think, personal smear will be the hallmark of Labor's campaign over the next few months. In many respects, you know, you counter it by removing the substance to their claim.
I think Tony Abbott will demonstrate that he's a man of conviction and strength and honesty and he gets things done. That will certainly pull the rug from under much of what they're saying.
And the Work Choices we will demonstrate that we will work within the Government's IR framework. So there's no substance to either claim that they're making.
SABRA LANE:
The Government repeatedly says Work Choices will be revived and assurances like those given yesterday - that it's deader than Julius Caesar - don't seem to be permeating through to voters.
ANDREW ROBB:
Well, it's not an issue I don't think, which is running hard out there. People will wait to see, you know, our final policy and it will demonstrate as Tony Abbott has said that we will clearly work within the Government's IR framework.
We'll make a very strong commitment on that front; we did learn a lesson from last time. We did go too far and we were told in no uncertain terms. You know the economy was going gangbusters and yet we still were told that wasn't acceptable.
Now we'd be stupid to return to the things that we did in Work Choices. We made mistakes and that won't be returned. We will work very clearly within the Labor's IR framework. When people see that I think it will take the stuffing out of this scare campaign.
You will see I think that Labor's campaign will be one of the most dishonest and personal in history and we're already seeing signs of that on so many fronts.
SABRA LANE:
The polls are turning against the Government. The Greens are picking up some of that surge. Voters don't appear to be embracing Tony Abbott personally. How are you going to encourage them to embrace him?
ANDREW ROBB:
Well, you know, I'm not sure that that's true. I think what we're seeing happen is that people voted for Kevin Rudd and in good faith and with high expectations and they've been disillusioned in the extreme yet they still voted for him.
You know in many respects they'd like him to perform and in my view by parking a vote with the Greens they are trying to send him a message and if he doesn't get the message they will come, a lot of them I think will come to us.
Media Contact: Cameron Hill 0408 239 521