Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education and Training representing the Minister for Employment. Can you please update the House on the measures the government is introducing to restore the rule of law on building sites across Australia? What threats exist to the government's plan?

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

I thank the member for Ryan for her question. She, like members on this side of the House, actually cares about the real issues associated with building and construction sites in Australia and understands the reason why the government has moved in a number of ways to try and protect the rights of workers. She is not trying to trash the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, as the other side of the House is. In fact today the opposition had the opportunity to show that they were on the side of the workers rather than dodgy union officials by supporting the Australian Building and Construction Commission legislation in the Senate, but they chose instead to oppose the ABCC. They have done that as recently as today. They also opposed the Registered Organisations Commission bill. Both of these measures would stand up for honest union officials and support the workers.

What we are seeing in this place today is an attempt by the opposition to trash the royal commission into trade union corruption, to attack the royal commissioner and to not see the rule of law restored on building and construction sites. Instead it is a transparent attempt to shut down scrutiny of trade union corruption. One must ask the question: why would the Leader of the Opposition—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth!

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

and the Labor Party not want the trade union royal commission to continue?

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth is warned!

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

The reasons are transparently obvious to me and to the Australian public. If the trade union royal commission had not been in place, we would not have known about the CFMEU's links to organised crime and to criminal bikie gangs. We would not have known that the AWU traded away the penalty rates of workers at Clean Event in exchange for cash and membership lists. We would not have known that the AWU—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will resume his seat. The member for Perth on a point of order.

Alannah Mactiernan (Perth, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, the minister is referring to a federally-convened royal commission as opposed to a state-convened royal commission. This has been the subject of a precedent. This is an important difference because there is a concern that the minister's statements might indeed be putting pressure on—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth will resume her seat. I have heard enough of the point of order. The member for Perth might refer to my statement in response to the member for Isaacs last Thursday. I call the Leader of the House.

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

It is no surprise that the Labor Party wants to close down the trade union royal commission. Without that royal commission we would not have known that the AWU—

Ms MacTiernan interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Perth is already warned.

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

made secret arrangements with Winslow Constructors in exchange for cash and lists disguised as safety training—training that was never delivered by the union or Winslow Constructors. We would not know that the AWU negotiated deals with Theiss John Holland for the exchange of $300,000 for industrial peace and on the other side of the coin got favourable treatment by the union. The Leader of the Opposition might never have disclosed the $40,000 of donations that his Maribyrnong campaign received in 2007 from the AWU—

Mr Sukkar interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Deakin!

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

and from labour hire firm Unibilt. Of course the Labor Party is trying to destroy the royal commission, but we on this side of the House will continue to stand up for workers and will continue to stand up for honest union officials. Labor again have a spectacular own goal in bringing to the forefront of the political debate their tawdry association with the union movement.