Senator Eric Abetz

Labor backbencher Senator Glenn Sterle’s ‘bull in a china shop’ approach towards to workplace relations may have been in vogue while he was a trade union official but should have no place in today’s modern IR environment.

His inflammatory comments that Mr Joyce should resign is at best unhelpful and at worst will make the situation that is hurting many Australians, small businesses and the tourism sector worse. One would have hoped that Senator Sterle would have looked beyond his trade union antecedence and thought of the national interest.

Senator Evans needs to distance himself from these silly, inflammatory comments clearly designed to buy some relevance for a backbench Senator. Senator Evans needs to do so before the close of business today otherwise Australians will be entitled to believe that the Minister himself supports this irresponsible foray by the Labor backbench Senator Glenn Sterle.