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

Regrettably, there is currently only one major party that supports a clean and honest union movement, and that is not the party of the unions. The handful of people who do not understand the need to clean up the trade union movement are Mr Shorten, the Labor Party and the Greens, who continue to oppose coalition reforms that would ensure that renegade union officials are held to account for their actions. Labor cannot be allowed to hold honest working Australians' interest to ransom for the protection of their union mates. If Mr Shorten and Labor continue to oppose the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission and the Registered Organisations Commission, it will be clear that they care more about their dodgy union mates than the needs of hard-working Australians. Those who are serious about ending the culture of union intimidation, blackmail and coercion identified by the royal commission need to act—(Time expired)