Steve Irons (Swan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on action taken by the government to make our community safer, including the cancellations of visas held by members of outlaw motorcycle gangs, and is the minister aware of any different approaches to the protection of our borders?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and thank him, very much, for the efforts on behalf of his community that he makes to make it a safer place. That is certainly what this government is about. We have been able to cancel the visas of 106 non-citizens—cancelled or refused 106 non-citizen visas over the course of the last 12 months or so of people associated with outlaw motorcycle gangs.

What we know in this country is that members of outlaw motorcycle gangs are the biggest distributors of amphetamines, they are involved in extortion and they are involved in standover tactics, particularly of people in small business, and as a government we have said that we will not stand for it. So we have introduced provisions in the Migration Act which allow us to cancel visas of people who are engaged in criminal activity, including these outlaw motorcycle gang members.

It really is quite astonishing that the Labor Party is opposed to such measures. And we ask ourselves: why? What people know about this Leader of the Opposition is that he is owned and managed by the union bosses of this country. He is owned and managed by them—and he has been his entire working life. That is the true fact of the matter. And we know that the CFMEU, the most militant union in the country, employs outlaw motorcycle gang members to stand over builders and workers on building and construction sites around the country.

And you ask: why would this Leader of the Opposition turn a blind eye to the activities of the CFMEU and of the bikies providing that standover and muscle on those building sites around the country? There are 1.3 million reasons why he did it last year: because the CFMEU donated $1.3 million to the Labor Party last year alone. They are still running a protection racket for him.

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

The minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business on a—

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

The Deputy Leader of the Opposition has been warned three times. That's it. No more interjections. No more sign language. No more anything or you'll be out. The Manager of Opposition Business on a point of order.

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

Mr Speaker, it is under standing order 90. The minister, in his answer, has gone directly to imputing improper motives, which—under standing order 90—is considered highly disorderly. I ask that he withdraw the comments and that he be brought back to the question.

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

I am listening carefully to the minister's answer. He will just wait a second. I am very well aware of standing order 90. The minister is very close to the line—he is very close to the line—which is why I had not intervened, but I will call the minister.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, very much. One point three million dollars last year was donated to the Labor Party by the CFMEU. That was eclipsed only by the shoppies, who donated a bit more than that, and we know that over the course of the last seven or eight years they have donated over $6 million. So when the Australian public ask themselves the question, 'Is this Leader of the Opposition fit to be Prime Minister of this country?' they need to look at these dirty grubby links back to these union thugs and bosses who are dictating terms to this man, and it is unacceptable for a person who seeks the highest office in this country.

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

The minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business—the minister has concluded his answer. Unless it is a different point of order I will anticipate that the Manager of Opposition—

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

It is different, based on he has now made comments that he had not made when I put the previous point of order. On the comments that he has made, I ask that he withdraw. They cannot be read as anything other than impugning motive. That is what it was entirely about, and I ask the comments be withdrawn.

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

I think what the Manager of Opposition Business will find—I was listening very carefully and, as I said, we get tough questions and tough answers, in this place, and, as I have said many times—I do not want to repeat myself—I do not want to be ruling out tough questions as well. I have listened carefully. I do not think there was anything, directly, there. I really do not. I think an examination of the Hansard, which we will not do now, if it suits everyone, will show that the view I have taken is pretty consistent with past practice. But I do take that matter pretty seriously, and that is why I was listening very closely to the minister.