Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Hansard source

This bill will strengthen existing financial accounting and disclosure requirements placed on registered organisations. It will increase penalties for those found to have done the wrong thing and it will establish a strong, independent watchdog, the Registered Organisations Commissioner, to give the regulation of these organisations the focus and the resources it needs. At the same time, it will reduce the unnecessary red tape imposed by the existing act that was the work of the Leader of the Opposition when he last amended these laws.

It is clear that the corrupt and illegal conduct of many union officials will continue unless there is effective parliamentary intervention. When politicians are presented with a clear problem for which there is a proven solution, they have a responsibility to act. This is the fourth time members of this parliament have been given the opportunity to consider this legislation to clean up registered organisations. Those opposite have been shameless in their efforts on behalf of their union supporters to frustrate and obstruct this important reform.

I have always found it very hard to understand why the Labor Party resists with such fervour this legislation. Given the extent of the scandals exposed in the royal commission and elsewhere, you would have thought leaders of the union movement and their political wing in this parliament would have said, 'Now is the time to clean up our act, to reassure our members and potential members that unions are run in their interest.' But no. When it comes to a choice between protecting the interests of rank-and-file members and defending the freedom of corrupt union officials to rip off those they claim to serve, the Labor Party has locked in slavishly behind the union bosses.

Almost a year ago I asked this question of Labor: whose side are you on? Are you on the side of the members or are you on the side of the officials? Sadly, we have the same answer today as we had back then. Those opposite remain stubborn apologists for the appalling exploitation of hardworking Australians by union officials abusing their power. How long do we have to watch officials of unions representing some of the lowest paid workers in Australia ripping them off, not being accountable and not prepared to accept the same standards of accountability and transparency as the directors of a public corporation? The time for action to stop these scandals and to end the rip-offs is long overdue. I commend the bill to the House.

Mr Husic interjecting—

See this speech in context