Julia Gillard (Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

Of course I am aware of statements made by Kathy Jackson. Kathy Jackson is a union official. Unions, are, of course, the organisations that the Leader of the Opposition wanted to put out of business as part of the Work Choices agenda.

On the issues that he has raised about the member for Dobell, can I say this to the Leader of the Opposition: another day and he digs himself deeper into the mud of hypocrisy on this question. Can I remind the Leader of the Opposition there is only one member of the federal parliament who has been charged with a criminal offence. That is a Liberal Party senator who has been charged with an offence against a person and an offence against property, and those charges are obviously coming to trial and going through appropriate criminal processes. It is not appropriate in respect of that Liberal senator for conclusions to be drawn about her innocence or guilt beforehand. The Leader of the Opposition said that. He said:

The matter is now before the courts where I understand it will be contested and she should be extended the presumption of innocence.

That is in relation to a criminal charge and I repeat again: the only member of this parliament facing criminal charges is a Liberal senator.

On the question of the matters involving the member for Dobell, as is well known, there is a Fair Work Australia investigation in progress and I believe it is appropriate to wait for the outcome of any such investigation.

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