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

I thank the member for Forrest for her question. This week the government has passed two signature pieces of legislation: the Registered Organisations Commission bill and the Australian Building and Construction Commission bill. These are signature pieces of reform of the industrial relations architecture in Australia. They will improve the way unions are run and organised through the Registered Organisations Commission so they operate on behalf of workers and not corrupt union bosses. They will restore the rule of law on building and construction sites in Australia through the ABCC.

It is very important that misbehaviour in unions be reported to the appropriate authorities. The Fair Work Commission has had a hotline for some period of time on which misbehaviour can be reported. The Registered Organisations Commission will, of course, have a very similar hotline. It is important that when people have information about a particular union leader—

Mr Dutton interjecting—

that they do not keep it in the family, as the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection says, but, in fact, ensure the Fair Work Commission and now the Registered Organisations Commission have that information. We on this side of the House would like to know, and I think the Australian public would like to know, what information the member for Isaacs had, for example, that caused him to advise the Leader of the Opposition not to support Kimberley Kitching for the Senate. We know, from the trade union royal commission, that Kimberley Kitching was doing the right of entry tests, including the safety tests, for union officials so they could pass and go onto worksites. We know that she used to summon other staff with a megaphone to her office—

Mr Danby interjecting—

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