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

Let us be clear, slush funds operate in a legally dark area as they are not subject to the reporting and governance obligations that apply to registered organisations, nor are officers of registered organisations required to report to their members on such funds. They operate in the shadows. They often exist without any detection by others, let alone any scrutiny. The government has introduced legislation to improve the accountability of unions, which has already been the subject of one committee report.

Union members have every right to expect that their money is being used lawfully and for proper purposes. They have a right to know if officers of that union are engaged in financial dealings with shadowy slush funds. The one great impediment to improved accountability and transparency is Labor's sabotage and obstruction to the passage of the registered organisations commission bill.