Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

As Senator Duniam says: smear and innuendo from those opposite.

Let's put a few facts on the table as to what this issue is actually about. This is all about the proper authorisation of donations made by the AWU and—surprise, surprise!—those opposite running a protection racket for the union movement yet again, as we see in this place constantly. What are those donations? A hundred thousand dollars to GetUp!, $25,000 to Mr Shorten's election campaign and other donations made by the AWU to various Labor Party election campaigns. There has been a refusal to provide documentation to the Registered Organisations Commission to show that the donations were properly authorised. Why is that such a big ask? Why is it such a big ask to show that donations were properly authorised, that the correct procedures were followed, when these very significant donations were made to GetUp! and to the Labor Party? That question won't be answered by those opposite. The refusal to provide this documentation dates back to August 2017—August 2017; we're in February 2019—when revelations about those donations were first raised by the media.

It was ROC, the Registered Organisations Commission, that made the decision to investigate these donations, and that has been made very clear at numerous rounds of estimates. What has also been made very clear at numerous rounds of estimates is that the AWU, the union, has expressly declined to provide documentation requested of it by ROC. The questions raised by those opposite are about the AWU trying to have a court prevent the Registered Organisations Commission investigating whether the donations were properly authorised or having access to documents seized by the Australian Federal Police in relation to the ROC's investigation. This is a legitimate investigation into very large political donations. We've heard a lot about political donations in this place over the last few years, a lot of fire and thunder and outrage, but this was $100,000 to GetUp!—$100,000 to an organisation that is specifically targeting members of parliament to try to have them unseated. This is a significant issue in our democracy. Those opposite, in protecting their union mates, protecting the union movement—running a protection racket—are attacking Minister Cash, attacking ministers in the other place and casting smear and innuendo towards them, when these questions have been repeatedly asked and repeatedly answered over a series of estimates hearings, some of which I've been at in my capacity as Chair of the Education and Employment Legislation Committee.

In my remaining few seconds I would ask a question of those Australians listening today. We've just had a series of events in Australia that you'd think those opposite would like to ask some questions about. We've had significant floods in Queensland and significant fires in Tasmania and other places—events that have cast a shadow over communities across Australia. We've had Labor voting to weaken our border protection. And what do they want to ask questions about? They want to ask questions about Minister Cash. (Time expired)