Sarah Henderson (Corangamite, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, my question is to the Minister for Education and Leader of the House, representing the Minister for Employment. I remind the minister that the House passed a motion yesterday apologising for the statement of the former member for Dobell, Mr Craig Thomson, to the House on 21 May 2012. In light of bipartisan support for this motion, what further measures could be taken to better protect members against the misuse of union funds and union power?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Corangamite for her question. I do welcome the bipartisan support that the government received yesterday for its motion to apologise for the statement of the former member for Dobell, Mr Craig Thomson, on 21 May 2012. Admittedly it was two years too late, but better late than never.

Mr Perrett interjecting—

The Leader of the Opposition at least measured up to that test and led the Labor Party into stopping the protection racket—

Mr Perrett interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Moreton is warned!

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that had existed around the former member for Dobell. But it presents the Leader of the Opposition with other tests that he needs to meet if he is going to prove that he is more than a union official representing union officials, that he runs a protection racket for protection rackets. Those tests are mounting up, like passing the Australian building and construction commission bill, passing the registered organisations commission bill, supporting the Royal commission into union governance and union corruption. He needs to pay back the $267,000 of HSU members' money that Labor used to elect the former member for Dobell in 2007.

And there is a new test that has been set for him today if he is going to show that he is a real leader and not just a union official representing union officials—that is, whether he will stand up to Senator Conroy in the Senate and make him apologise for the egregious remarks that he made yesterday to Lieutenant General Campbell. He attacked him and used him as a political football. The Leader of the Opposition said himself, on 23 January this year, 'I don't like seeing the Navy—

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order going to relevance. This takes direct relevance to an entirely new planet. There was nothing in the question that in any way relates to where the minister is now going. The beginning of the answer was directly relevant, no argument at all, but where he is now is completely unrelated.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The reason it is relevant to the question is because Senator Conroy is a well-known union organiser from way back. He cut his teeth as a union organiser, and the question is about union power and the misuse of it.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And the reason why Senator Conroy remains in the position he is in today—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business, on a point of order—he has already raised direct relevance.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order: now it is that the Leader of the House is directly defying your ruling.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. I call the Minister for Education.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, it is directly relevant to the question, because the reason Senator Conroy remains in the position he is today; the reason he was brought back from political death; the reason why the Leader of the Opposition won't make him apologise today is because he relies on him to stay in the position of Leader of the Opposition: Senator Conroy has the power. He is calling the tune—just like every other union leader that the Leader of the Opposition responds to, about all those policies. Whether it is the Australian Building and Construction Commission, the Registered Organisations Commission, the royal commission—the Leader of the Opposition is a union official representing union officials. He went to the AWU conference two years ago, and he said, 'I am union today; union tomorrow; union forever.' The point is, he needs to rise above his background. He could start by disciplining Senator Conroy, and apologising for the way he treated our military personnel.