Jane Prentice (Ryan, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Jobs, Industrial Relations and Women. Will the minister please update the House on what action the government is taking to crack down on militant unions? What would a reckless approach that allows militant unions to run amok put at risk the rule of law in workplaces?

Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the hardworking member for Ryan for her question. Given the terrific jobs figures that we have seen under the government's strong economic plan, with more than 1.1 million new jobs created, I can understand precisely why she is concerned about militant and reckless unions. It is because the member knows that militant unions, who harbour militant law-breakers, are a threat to continuous and record jobs growth. That is why the government has taken very strong action to protect workers from bullying, thuggery and intimidation by those militant union bosses.

We have re-established the tough cop on the beat with the Australian Building and Construction Commission. We have established the Registered Organisations Commission. We have legislation in the Senate right that would now that would stop workers' entitlement funds from being used as slush funds. We would get rid of those dodgy union officials who would be dishonest in using those moneys. Of course, we have a raft of legislation before the Senate that would protect workers' superannuation entitlements and would stop the rorts and the rip-offs that were created by the Leader of the Opposition when he actually served in the Treasury benches for those low-balanced accounts.

These are very good and sensible reforms that will protect workers and will protect their hard-won and hard-earned entitlements. Not only do those opposite not support them but, if they got a chance, they would get rid of them in their entirety. That is because they are under the thumb of the militant unions. These are militant unions that the courts have said would place themselves above the law. We have seen rallies right across the country this week by the self-proclaimed law-breaker herself, Sally McManus. Who else did we see joining Sally McManus at these rallies, whether they be in Melbourne or other places? We have seen her stand next to that law-breaker, John Setka himself, who is famous for assaulting police officers.

But who else was there in Melbourne? It was the Labor Premier Daniel Andrews, who not only endorsed the law-breaking and lawlessness agenda but revealed that he has no respect for the rule of law either. We have seen, under Daniel Andrews, that the Victorian Labor Party, under his leadership, has rorted almost $400,000 from Victorian taxpayers to pay political operatives during the 2014 state election. We now hear that Victorian Labor Party MPs will refuse to cooperate with police. Under Victorian law, we have seen the law-breakers become the lawmakers. Under Bill Shorten, it would be the same thing.

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

The minister needs to refer to members by their correct titles. She needs to come back and withdraw what she said. She is doing this regularly.

Kelly O'Dwyer (Higgins, Liberal Party, Minister for Jobs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

That was 'under the Leader of the Opposition'. I withdraw.