CARBON TAX

The Hon. D.W. RIDGWAY (Leader of the Opposition) (15:13): Given that the minister backs a carbon tax and not his union, will he now resign or wait to be expelled from the union?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY (Minister for Industrial Relations, Minister for State/Local Government Relations) (15:13): They never stop. They are a barrel of laughs. You are a laugh a minute. Mr President, the senator and the federal secretary who made that statement have one point of view and a position and it may have merit or it may not. It only happened today. I can assure the honourable member that there will be a very generous compensation package for this carbon tax. I know that upsets you, but the fact is there will be a generous compensation package, and you will have to wait until Sunday—

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: Are you going to resign?

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: There is no need to resign.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: They'll kick you out.

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: No, they value me very much as a member. On Sunday there will be a very detailed statement on the compensation package and the price of carbon.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. R.P. WORTLEY: It is a little bit like stereo here. I am a proud member of the TWU—always have been and always will be—and my views do not contradict anything they have said.