Andrew Wallace (Fisher, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

The Labor Party and the CFMEU have no shame. You will grind projects to a halt, even if it is hospitals. Let us listen to what it was about rather than talk about asbestos or whatever it was that was shouted out on the other side. Mr Noonan admitted he organised a protest of 400 people to blockade the children's hospital site on 18 July 2013, forcing John Holland to abandon a critical concrete pour involving up to 45 truckloads of concrete and slurry. As a builder, I can tell you that that would have cost millions of dollars. The WA branch secretary, Mick Buchan, and then assistant secretary, Joe McDonald, admitted they incited the blockade—oh, because John Holland would not sign a whole-of-site CFMEU agreement that paid subbies at least the same as employees. They refused to do it.

Ms Lamb interjecting—

That is because they are subcontractors—

Ms Lamb interjecting—

Because they incited the blockade of a building site. They admitted it. Unbelievable. But wait, we go on. The CFMEU was slugged $540,000 for Fair Work breaches in Adelaide. Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide—the whole world is against the CFMEU! The construction union will have to pay more than $540,000 in penalties for unlawful conduct. Are you supporting that unlawful conduct?

Ms Chesters interjecting—

In South Australia, after losing an appeal—

See this speech in context