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

the owner-operators of transport businesses against the TWU. Over and over again, it is the coalition who stand up for the small business men and women against trade union bosses, who always put themselves first and Australia last. Last Friday, we saw two union leaders charged with 172 counts of fraud against their union, against their workers, totalling $870,000—people being robbed of their own money by two union leaders. Eventually their names will come out, and it will be fascinating to see whether members on the other side of the House rush to their defence—as one of them might have done in their maiden speech not that long ago. We will see, no doubt.

The reality is that the work is not finished. The ABCC must be passed in the next sitting fortnight. It must be passed if the job is to be completed of cleaning up unions and cleaning up building sites. It is critically important. Just today we found out the CFMEU in Adelaide holds the record for the most number of fines of any state in Australia. There have been over $1 million worth of fines levied against the CFMEU in South Australia in the last year or two by the Fair Work Commission. Nigel Hadgkiss, the Fair Work Commissioner, said:

… despite significant penalties being handed down, repeated and deliberate contraventions of workplace laws continue to be a common feature at worksites.

It is time for Labor to stand up for the worker and pass the ABCC.

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