Bridget McKenzie (Victoria, National Party) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you, Mr Acting Deputy President, for your protection. What Graeme Samuel is actually saying is that there's a tendency for skills metrics to be less relevant; there are other things. When we're looking at who are going to be the union reps on these boards, other things come into play—not the skill sets or the capacity for good governance of the retirement savings of workers. That's where independent directors become much more relevant; it's where the skills metrics and the qualities that they can provide become more relevant. Now, isn't that a good thing? No-one is saying there shouldn't be union representation on the industry super fund board, and nor is anyone saying there shouldn't be employer representatives, but there should be a recognition that, by setting up this type of arrangement for the retirement savings of workers—hardworking Australians who put their money into an industry super fund, which is often the default setting—we're not actually getting the skill set we need to govern the board and deliver on what should be about maximising retirement savings, not making sure we're funnelling money to Labor Party campaigns right around the country.

Let's get real here. If it were about getting rid of union representation on industry super funds, it would look a lot different to this particular set of reforms. These are reforms recommended through a range of inquiries. There was the ALP appointed chairman. Graeme Samuel was appointed to look into the governance of the CFMEU.

Senator O'Neill interjecting—

Senator O'Neill, if the CFMEU can handle his expertise on governance, I don't know why you can't. Maybe I need to look to the senators opposite who looked to the CFMEU for their backing to get into this place. Maybe they'd look a little more kindly. I know that you're not a CFMEU girl, but—