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

As Senator Canavan would be aware, industrial thuggery and criminality are, regrettably, nothing new to the Victorian building industry. The CFMEU has for many years sat on the fringes of society, consorting with outlaw bikie gangs and the criminal underbelly of Melbourne—the ugliest expression of trade unionism, but embraced by the Victorian Labor Party. If Victorians elect an Andrews Labor government, they can expect the CFMEU to come out from the fringes and be ushered in to the cabinet room with the red carpet. Even former Labor Premier John Cain had the integrity to deregister the thoroughly corrupt Builders Labourers Federation, promising to remove this rogue organisation from the Victorian industrial scene. In sharp contrast, Mr Andrews would lead a government that would fully embrace the corrupt CFMEU. (Time expired)