Finance Minister Mathias Cormann says a proposal to give union delegates paid leave to attend training would cost Australian businesses $1.3 billion if extended to all members.
Labor insists the government is mounting a scare campaign against the proposal for delegates to receive training ahead of the plan being put forward at the ALP national conference next week.
"It's a $1.3 billion hit on business that will put jobs at risk. It's just another example of ... Bill Shorten will always prioritise the interests of his union buddies ahead of the public interest," Senator Cormann told Sky News on Friday.
