Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Can the Prime Minister confirm that the Prime Minister went to a double-dissolution election to establish his Registered Organisations Commission, the commissioner was hand-picked by the employment minister and the only reason the commission is even looking into a 10-year-old donation to GetUp! is that the employment minister told it to do so?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What we know about this matter is that the Registered Organisations Commission received information which, they say, raised reasonable grounds for suspecting that relevant documents were maybe being interfered with by being concealed or destroyed. Now, we know there have been examples of documents being concealed, with attempts to destroy them, in respect of other union investigations. This is a concern that is a fact. What the honourable member is suggesting is that a regulatory agency, designed to ensure that unionist members' funds are not being dealt with improperly or unlawfully—

Ms Chesters interjecting—

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

The member for Bendigo!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and investigating that and believing that relevant documents were at risk of being destroyed, should do nothing.

Ms Chesters interjecting—

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

The member for Bendigo is warned.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How very convenient that would be for union officials who misuse union members' money. When the member for Barton gave his extraordinary Setka-like interview yesterday, he said—

Opposition members interjecting—

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

Yes, the Prime Minister named the wrong member.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The member for Gorton, Mr Speaker, gave that extraordinary interview yesterday in which he made substantially the same criticisms of and attacks on the AFP as had John Setka.

Mark Dreyfus (Isaacs, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Attorney General) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

No!

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Oh, he did. The member for Isaacs objects. What John Setka did was say that the government uses the police for political purposes, and that is precisely what the member for Gorton said yesterday. What he also did was follow the same line as the member for Sydney. He said, 'Let me just say this: I do know of allegations made of a civil nature against the AWU 10 years ago. None of the allegations, even if any of them were true, warrant this conduct.' So is he seriously suggesting that, if a regulator charged under law to investigate wrongdoing believes that evidence is about to be destroyed, it should do nothing? That would be very convenient for those who misuse union members' money.

Ms Claydon interjecting—

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

The member for Newcastle will cease interjecting.