Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

It grossly misrepresents the building code and, I would hope, every single person's agenda in this place for a safer and more productive building industry. The code requires employers to strictly comply with all applicable work health and safety laws. In the event that they don't, they will face consequences, including being banned from tendering for Commonwealth government work.

Again, I say this: this government is committed to doing all that is necessary to reform the building and construction industry to ensure that the rule of law prevails in this sector. Taxpayers, consumers, mum-and-dad small businesses and workers are all benefitting from the re-establishment of the ABCC. There have been bullying, thuggery, intimidation, standover tactics, threats, refusal to obey the law, fines now totalling in excess of $10 million, cartel-like behaviour between some head contractors and the CFMEU, proudly and actively locking out mum-and-dad subcontractors from the building and construction industry, taxpayers paying up to 30 per cent more for public infrastructure, fewer schools, less work, fewer hospitals. No person in Australia—woman or man—should have to work in an industry where these conditions prevail. We will do everything we can to ensure that the rule of law is upheld in the building and construction industry and to wipe out once and for all the bullying, thuggery and intimidation.