Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

There is no doubt that Fair Work Australia's investigation into the Health Services Union is a debacle. It is like that long-running TV program Blue Hills; just when you thought there surely could not be another episode or another twist in the saga, yes, there was. This reflects very poorly on Ms Gillard who established Fair Work Australia, and appointed the personnel to Fair Work Australia and the administration of Fair Work Australia. People now know the salacious allegations in relation to the Health Services Union, allegations made by other union officials not the coalition. The allega­tions are that about $100,000 worth of union funds were expended in an inappropriate manner, to put it mildly. The suggestion is, and it is not disputed, that the union's funds were used for, amongst other things, the procurement of prostitutes.

The Health Services Union in particular is allegedly an organisation that looks after the interests of workers who, in general terms, are low-paid workers. These people, looking after their interests, seek to make a contribution to the Health Services Union only to find that their trust in their union has been abused in this sordid manner. As a result—