Russell Broadbent (McMillan, 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 the importance of ensuring the 457 visas program acts as a supplement to and not a substitute for Australian workers? What are the risks associated with taking an alternative approach?

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. As we come toward Christmas, Australians will be thinking about this parliamentary year. They will be thinking about the performance of the Leader of the Opposition. They will be talking about whether they believe that this Leader of the Opposition is a trustworthy individual and whether his character determines if he could be properly considered to be the leader of this country. You know what, Mr Speaker? I think we have demonstrated at every turn during this parliamentary year that this Leader of the Opposition, on every test, fails the basic question of trust. He says outside of this parliament that he is supporting Australian workers, that he wants to put Australian workers first, yet we find out that, when he was the employment minister, he signed a secret deal with fast-food companies, including McDonald's, to allow hundreds of workers in to displace Australian workers. And, worse than that, he then said, to provide some sort of cover, that: no, no—he was bringing workers in to work in the mines; that it was the mining boom; 457 worker numbers spiked because he was bringing workers in to work in the mines. But he was found out, and he failed the character test yet again.

The difficulty is that it goes beyond that for this Leader of the Opposition because he is also, as we found out this week, signing other deals. He is signing other deals and he is consorting, as it turns out, through his CFMEU links, with criminals and thugs—people that have been convicted of criminal offences. And that is the reality of this Leader of the Opposition.

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

The minister will resume his seat.

Mr Dutton interjecting—

The minister will cease interjecting. I have asked him to resume his seat.

Ms Plibersek interjecting—

The member for Sydney will not compound the situation. The Manager of Opposition Business.

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

Mr Speaker—

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

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

I am trying to hear the Manager of Opposition Business. The member for Lingiari is warned.

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

If that was not an imputation against a member of parliament for an improper motive, I do not know what is. He should be sat down.

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

The minister is reflecting on the Leader of the Opposition. The practice and the standing orders are very clear. It is not a question of what the minister might think to be the case. Members cannot reflect on each other in this chamber and they cannot reflect on senators. The minister will withdraw.

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

Mr Speaker, I am happy to withdraw. Let me go to the substantive part of this point. There are 100 people within the CFMEU who have been hauled before royal commissions or have been scrutinised because of their illegal practices. That is the reality.

Ms Butler interjecting—

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

The member for Griffith will leave under 94(a).

The member for Griffith then left the chamber.

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

The CFMEU has donated $11 million to the Labor Party—$11 million. There are many people who sit behind this Leader of the Opposition who are affiliated very closely with the CFMEU, and there are many people who would call themselves a friend of this Leader of the Opposition who are very intricately involved in the senior levels of the CFMEU. I will let the Australian public make their own judgement about this Leader of the Opposition. But we have seen, when it comes to 457 visas, and when it comes to this leader saying before the election that he would be on a unity ticket with this government in relation to border protection matters: you cannot take him at his word. There is nothing that this Leader of the Opposition says that he truly believes in, and he will say anything at all to the Australian people just to take this office, and he is not worthy, on any test, to become Prime Minister of this country.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No wonder you got sacked by the Queensland police—

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

The member for McEwen will withdraw.

Rob Mitchell (McEwen, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I withdraw.