Steven Ciobo (Moncrieff, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The motion before the chair, Mr Deputy Speaker Adams, deals with arrangements of oversight of union movements. Very serious allegations against union movements have been around for years. That is the reason there needs to be better transparency, that is the reason union officials should be held to exactly the same standards that apply to company directors and that is the reason we need a royal commission into the trade union movement. It is not right, it is not fair and it is not equitable for those workers who pay their money, day in and day out, expecting that their rights and their best interests will be upheld by people who are more interested in finding their way into this federal parliament or into a state Labor parliament. That is the reason we need to have better oversight.

In summary, there should be a requirement that union officials exercise due care and diligence that a reasonable person is expected to undertake, to act in good faith in the best interests of the company and for proper purpose, and not improperly use their position to gain advantage for themselves or someone else or cause detriment to the company. That is what applies to company directors and it should apply to union officials as well.

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