Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I support the amendments moved by the member for Kennedy. If these amendments do not get up, building workers in this country will have fewer rights than accused criminals. Building workers will be able to be hauled in for investigation, forced to answer questions and forced to name names. I hear the minister point to some of the other amendments, including that building workers will have their expenses reimbursed. I tell you what: I reckon someone would rather have the right to silence than have their taxi fare paid—for a taxi ride to ferry them into a star chamber where they can be forced, in true McCarthyist style, to name names.

When this legislation was introduced, Labor were right there standing for the principles of the rule of law, knowing that we should not have a situation where building workers had fewer rights than accused criminals. We now have the opportunity to restore the rule of law, to restore that fundamental principle of the right to silence and to address the situation where building workers have fewer rights than accused criminals. So I heartily support these amendments.

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