David Feeney (Victoria, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Milne is referring to its forestry division, which happens to not be the division that I will be quoting in a moment. The CFMEU, like many of us on this side, chafed when listening to those opposite trying to pontificate to us about occupational health and safety. What a nonsense that those opposite have discovered for the first time occupational health and safety and now seek to try and beat us over the head with it! The CFMEU pointed out that on average one Australian dies every week in the construction industry in this country. That is of course an appalling statistic. It is a statistic that I am sure would appal every senator and everyone in this building. But in reflecting upon that statistic, Mr David Noonan, the divisional national secretary from the CFMEU’s construction division, had this to say:

“Mr Abbott presided over a government that slashed workers’ entitlements to safety in the construction industry, that brought in laws that made it harder for unions to police safety on construction sites …and everybody in the industry knows that it is unions that make workplaces safer in construction.

“Mr Abbott put in legislation which has seen an increase in deaths in construction. This is an industry which, on average, loses one worker ... every week.”

What we note is the fact that, firstly, those opposite, having cynically discovered occupational health and safety, are now being very selective indeed. Secondly, we on this side are not going to be lectured to about how a proper occupational health and safety process should be run.