Chris Crewther (Dunkley, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Treasurer. Will the Treasurer advise the House on the importance of strong economic growth to employment security, job creation and wage growth for hardworking Australians? How important is it that the government continues to promote productivity and reduce inefficiencies that drag on our economy?

Scott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Dunkley for his question and for his support for the measures that this government is seeking and introducing to ensure greater productivity in the Australia economy, because from that comes the growth, the investment, the jobs and the wages. The way you lift revenue in this country, if you want to budget balance, is: you need to ensure that businesses are earning more, that employees are earning more and that they are getting extra hours. To do that you need a tax environment which supports business, particularly small business, to achieve that. But you also need an environment in the building and construction industry that when businesses and others go and invest they are not hit with a 30 percent premium as a result of the lawlessness in the building and construction industry.

I notice that the member for Grayndler has said very recently—I understand it was last night—that now was the time for the Commonwealth to lift investment right across the nation. It might be news to the member for Grayndler that, under the Labor Party, Commonwealth investment as a share of public investment was an average of 24 per cent. Under this government, it is an average of 30½ per cent. So this government has been lifting investment in Commonwealth investment, but investment particularly in public infrastructure is hampered by those opposite who continue to frustrate and work against the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

Yesterday, I asked a very polite question to those opposite of those who happen to be members of registered trade unions. And none of them put their hands up. I asked them: 'Who are members of the CFMEU?' So, Mr Speaker, I thought this may be a reason as to why in unions' interests they may be seeking to protect the lawlessness in the building and construction industry on behalf of militant unions. So I did a bit of homework. It turns out that when you look at the Register of Members' Interests of the 68 members of parliament who sit opposite only 32 have not listed any union membership at all on their register of interests. That is interesting because when I look at the membership form of the ALP, which is a requirement, it says 'member of affiliated union'. So why is it that the member for Batman thinks it is important to declare a 1/400 scale model of a Shortfin Barracuda submarine but he does not think it is relevant to disclose the fact of his membership, as others have on that side, of a trade union?

If we go to the actual register of interests question—and I happen have the member for McMahon's here. Strangely enough, he has not mentioned what union he is a member of. I am glad to know that he is a member of the Marconi club and the Guildford West leagues—they are fine institutions; great clubs—but he has not mentioned what union he is a member of. And question 13 says 'membership of any organisation'—(Time expired)