Sarah Hanson-Young (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source

I just want to add some comments in relation to this amendment, as outlined by Senator Rhiannon. Ironically, this goes to one of the fundamental issues referenced by Senator Roberts. He spoke a lot about freedom and a lot about the idea of workers being able to have protection and a safe environment for the work that they do in their workplace. I find it incredibly ironic to have a senator stand here in this place and spout support for fundamental aspects of workplace conditions, such as what we heard from Senator Roberts, when, in fact, this piece of legislation does anything but provide more protections for workers. In fact, this entire Building Code, which this amendment goes to, is going to create massive chaos within the building and construction industry. What we are going to see, undoubtedly, is a lowest common denominator response: lower safety standards and lower conditions for workers. Those workers who already have worked and fought long and hard for conditions that ensure that they can do their job safely and that their employers ensure that they are looked after—to make sure that their families, when they say goodbye to them at the beginning of the day, know that when they go off to work they are going to work in safe places with regulations that will protect them—will be starting from scratch because this Building Code is effectively going to tear those conditions up.

If anyone wants to come into this place and say that voting for the ABCC legislation is about protecting workers, they have got rocks in their head. It is anything but that. The mass chaos that is going to be created by this bill across the board, particularly in relation to this Building Code, will mean that conditions that have already been fought for and have already been in place are going to be revisited. This has nothing to do with freedom at all—in fact, it is the exact opposite. The government and the minister in charge will be able to stick his or her finger in every pie in relation to workplaces right across the country—mass chaos. So much for small government, Senator Roberts. This is going to create the biggest government intervention you have ever seen in this industry. It is not going to be pretty, and it will not only be workers who end up unhappy.

As we know, the rest of this legislation is an opportunity for the government to thump their chest about their desire and their obsession with union bashing. That is, of course, where Senator Roberts's real passion for this issue lies. He stood here in this chamber—Senator Abetz would be very proud of you, Senator Roberts. You and he see eye to eye when it comes to bashing unions. I can tell that already, and I have only been in here for about half an hour listening to your drivel. It is ridiculous to see an entire industry and all of its workers tarnished with the brush that you have given them. The union bashing that has gone on in this place for the last 24 hours, and last week when the previous bill was debated, is just astonishing. You would think there are no other issues going on in government right now. You would think that there were no other big issues facing the Australian people when you hear the government's obsession with beating up on union members and unions. These unions have fought long and hard for workers to be protected so that they have rights at work and so that they have safety standards to ensure that they do not die on the job.

I must say, Senator Roberts, I was extremely concerned with your continued obsession with big, muscly men. That line kept coming out over and over again, and I have heard it all night. You have an obsession with big, muscly men. I do not know what your problem is, Senator Roberts.