Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. In an extraordinary statement yesterday Dyson Heydon AC, QC again failed to rule out addressing Liberal Party events in the future.

Government Members:

Government members interjecting—

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

Members on my right will cease interjecting.

Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Don't Mr Heydon's own admissions show that this royal commission has been politicised from the start and Mr Heydon's commission should be withdrawn? Will the Prime Minister finally show some leadership and deal with his captain's pick for royal commissioner?

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The leadership this parliament should show is the leadership necessary to clean up the union movement. That is the leadership it would be nice to see a little bit of amongst members opposite. Why are members opposite trying to protect the rorts, the rackets and the rip-offs which have been so abundantly exposed before this royal commission? Why are members opposite standing in the way of ensuring that the same standards of conduct that are demanded of company directors are also demanded of union officials? Why is this man engaging in a cover-up of bad behaviour?

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

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order. The Prime Minister is not even going close to being directly relevant to the question that was asked—not even close.

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

I have ruled on this in earlier points of order. The Prime Minister has remained precisely on the topic of the question. The Prime Minister is relevant.

Ms Plibersek interjecting —

The member for Sydney is warned.

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we have seen over the last few days is a squalid attempt by the opposition to smear a former High Court judge—a sordid, squalid attempt by an opposition which should know better to defend the indefensible, which is these series of abuses which have been exposed at the royal commission where union official after union official has been ripping off workers in order to help the union, in some cases ripping off workers in order to help secure a preselection, in order to help secure the numbers within the Labor Party. I say to members opposite: it is about time that we had honest unionism in this country. That is what the royal commission is about—it is about ensuring that we do have honest unionism in this country. That is what the Registered Organisations Commission bill—yet again blocked by members opposite—was about: securing decent, honest unionism in this country. That is what the Australian Building and Construction Commission is all about. It is about securing the rule of law on construction sites.

Michael Danby (Melbourne Ports, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Your dills in Sydney sent the invitation; how is that our fault?

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

The member for Melbourne Ports is warned!

Tony Abbott (Warringah, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again, that measure was blocked by members opposite. I say to members opposite: stop running a protection racket on a protection racket; stop smearing a High Court judge and give the honest workers and the honest unionists of this country a fair go. We want them to have a fair go and it is high time you did too.