Senator Eric Abetz

The Opposition will continue to require the President of Fair Work Australia, Justice Geoffrey Giudice, to appear at Senate Estimates, the Leader of the Opposition in the Senate, and Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Senator Eric Abetz, said today.

“In response to Justice Giudice’s claims, the Opposition, through Senator Mary Jo Fisher, sought advice from the Clerk of the Senate.”

“The Senate Standing orders provide that the Senate Estimates Committee may ask questions of “officers” at Estimates.”

“The Clerk’s advice was clear in that Justice Giudice is an “officer” as defined in the Standing Orders for the purposes of  Estimates – indeed, the Clerk’s advice is that there can be “no dispute” over that matter.”

“The Clerk further noted that under section 652 of the Fair Work Act it is the President – Justice Giudice – who is responsible for presenting the Annual Report of Fair Work Australia to the Minister.”

“Ms Gillard’s view that the President of Fair Work Australia should not attend Senate Estimates is at odds with her claims that the operations of Fair Work Australia are open and accountable.”

“On the basis of the Clerk’s advice, and in the interests of transparency and accountability, the Opposition will continue to require Justice Giudice to attend Senate Estimates to account for the operations of Fair Work Australia.”

“I would advise Ms Gillard to stop embarrassing herself by trying to understand the procedures of the Senate. She is clearly out of her depth – as evidenced by her bungled so-called Building the Education Revolution.”

Senate Abetz added that contrary to the claims of Ms Gillard, Justice Giudice was treated with great respect by Coalition Senators at the Estimates hearing, in stark contract to the rude and disrespectful treatment of the head of the ABCC, Mr John Lloyd, by Labor Senators.