Graham Perrett (Moreton, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It was 2008. I remember reading information about it. The reversal of the onus of proof is something that any government should always be very wary of. The Magna Carta has been around for a while. We have this long history of looking after rights, so to reverse the onus of proof in such an area should be done very carefully. There is an argument that coercive powers, such as Ark Tribe experienced, have no place in a free society. This government is now extending the ABCC's ability to interrogate workers, causing stress and unnecessary worries for innocent people.

Throughout the federal election campaign, the coalition government, I think, unnecessarily tried to make political mileage out of fatalities. I remember hearing comments, even in parliament, about the deaths that occurred when the insulation program was rolled out around Australia. A total of 1.2 million homes were insulated, but sadly there were some dodgy employers with bad work practices. Look at the mileage that has been made out of those fatalities, despite the 1.2 million homes that were insulated and all of the benefits to those households, both environmentally and for their wallets.

But let us have a look at the building industry. I was speaking to a friend of mine, Andrew Ramsay, from the CFMEU in Queensland. He said—

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