Ann Sudmalis (Gilmore, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Industry, Innovation and Science, representing the Minister for Employment. Will the minister update the House on why restoring the Australian Building and Construction Commission is essential to the creation of more jobs for Australians? What action is the government taking to restore the rule of law to the building and construction sector?

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

Last night we saw the Labor Party again standing up for the CFMEU against small business—against mums and dads and individuals in Australia. The Senate last night rejected the Australian Building and Construction Commission bills put up to it by the House of Representatives—not for the first time. In doing so, it set up industrial relations, support for business, support for freedom and support for the rule of law on construction sites as major and central election issues. We are looking forward to fighting an election around the Labor Party's support for the CFMEU, the TWU and the rogues in the union movement. We are looking forward to fighting an election where we are on the side of the rule of law and on the side of the royal commission headed by Dyson Heydon, which found that the CFMEU was a malignancy in the building and construction industry. The building and construction industry, productivity in it, jobs and growth will be central issues at the coming election, whenever that might be held.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

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

On 2 July! I think we now know that for sure, Mr Speaker—subject to His Excellency's approval. The Independent Economics report in 2013 found that when the ABCC existed productivity in the building and construction industry improved by nine per cent. It found that consumers were better off to the tune of $7½ billion a year when the ABCC existed and that industrial disputes in building and construction fell under the ABCC, when the ABCC was a tough cop on the beat.

All that changed when the Leader of the Opposition bowed to the demands of the CFMEU, did the bidding of the CFMEU, in abolishing the ABCC. It was not just the Road Safety Remuneration Tribunal for the TWU; he went through the whole gamut. He gave the CFMEU what they wanted. He did it because he needed their support to win the leadership of the Labor Party. Let's be clear: the Labor Party has received $12 million in donations from the CFMEU since the year 2000.

On this side of the House we are in favour of jobs and growth in the building and construction industry. One way to bring that about is to bring back the ABCC, for which we had a mandate at the last election. We took that to the people. They voted for it. The Senate obstructed that yesterday. They are an obstructionist Senate, not a house of review. Far from 'keeping the bastards honest', as Don Chipp once said was the purpose of the Senate, the Senate is now working to stop the government implementing the policies that it took to the election. Shame on the opposition! You will pay at the ballot box. (Time expired)