After breaking his promise to release his workplace relations policy “within weeks, not months”, Tony Abbott is now attempting to use the Budget as a smokescreen.

 To sneak his policies out under the cover of next week’s Budget is cowardly, and is even more proof to the Australian people that Tony Abbott has something deeply sinister to hide.

 Mr Abbott has already issued a call to arms for business to complain about unfair dismissal laws to justify changes he and the Liberal Party want to make, and his spokesman Senator Abetz has been telling business behind closed doors to ‘watch this space’ on unfair dismissal.

 Mr Abbott is determined to cut pay and conditions, having already indicated he’ll use the weight of the Office of Prime Minister if elected to drive down penalty rates.

 If Tony Abbott is willing to talk about these WorkChoices era policy changes, then you have to ask yourself: what is he hiding?

 Tony Abbott and the Liberal Party are bitterly divided over their Paid Parental Leave scheme but they are united in their determination to drive down wages and conditions for Australian workers.

 Before the Labor Government implemented our Fair Work legislation, we released detailed policy proposals in April 2007 – 7 months before the November election. We released further details in August 2007 – 3 months before the election.

 The amended Fair Work Act has been the subject of unprecedented consultation – carefully considered draft legislation, direct consultation with various stakeholders, due diligence through committee review, miles of newsprint and vigorous public debate.

 Australian business and employees know where Labor stands on workplace relations; for a fair and balanced system.

 The fact is there has been higher productivity, lower industrial disputation and wages restraint under Labor's Fair Work system.