Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Leader of the House) Share this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Ryan for her question. She, like members on this side of the House, actually cares about the real issues associated with building and construction sites in Australia and understands the reason why the government has moved in a number of ways to try and protect the rights of workers. She is not trying to trash the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, as the other side of the House is. In fact today the opposition had the opportunity to show that they were on the side of the workers rather than dodgy union officials by supporting the Australian Building and Construction Commission legislation in the Senate, but they chose instead to oppose the ABCC. They have done that as recently as today. They also opposed the Registered Organisations Commission bill. Both of these measures would stand up for honest union officials and support the workers.

What we are seeing in this place today is an attempt by the opposition to trash the royal commission into trade union corruption, to attack the royal commissioner and to not see the rule of law restored on building and construction sites. Instead it is a transparent attempt to shut down scrutiny of trade union corruption. One must ask the question: why would the Leader of the Opposition—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

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