Concetta Fierravanti-Wells (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Ageing) Share this | Hansard source

Senator Faulkner's comments are very welcome but, quite frankly, unless the union movement and third parties are involved and covered by the framework of any legislation then it does not actually make a difference. I do not think the Australian Labor Party and their acolytes have had the political courage to take the hard decisions on this. It is all very well, Senator Faulkner, to make these comments but, I have to ask myself: had organisations like the HSU and other unions been covered would perhaps a lot of the highways and byways that we have traversed in relation to Mr Craig Thomson, and his time before he became a member, have been a lot easier—particularly in the dealings with Coastal Voice, many of which I have traversed in this chamber as well?