Nick Xenophon (SA, Nick Xenophon Team) Share this | Hansard source

Can I indicate that I and my colleagues will not be supporting the One Nation amendments. This is not a reasonable amendment. The implication is—and I believe it is an unnecessary amendment—that unions will be able to get around this legislation by charging $10,000 for a membership fee. I don't think that when Senator Cameron was secretary of the AMWU the fee was $10,000 or anything like it. Any union that tried to charge an unreasonable fee would find itself in a position where they wouldn't have too many members. They would have a situation where people would join another registered organisation in its place.

I understand the rationale of Senator Roberts. We didn't have the benefit of a briefing from your office, Senator Roberts. It is not a criticism, because we are all so busy in this place, but I believe the legislation works without this. I believe that this is an unnecessary and onerous amendment, and my colleagues and I cannot support it.