Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's great to be able to stand up and talk on the Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill 2021. It's quite interesting to hear what the Labor side have to say about it, Senator McAllister. It's about tradies and it's about workers. It's about being able to go across the borders and do work in times of national disaster or if they have to move across for other reasons, such as a housing boom in an area. It gives them that ability. I can't understand why they're not supporting the workers of this nation. Is it because the unions are pushing you and telling you they're not really happy with it? Is it going to affect their membership? Is it going to have an impact on the unions? Is that the real reason behind you putting up this objection? You say it's going to affect lives. My estimation of the bill is that it is going to assist people to move more freely across the borders to access work.

Another thing you haven't said is that this has been passed by the national cabinet—that is, the state governments and the federal government. Labor in Queensland and Labor in Victoria have supported this, and you're saying: 'We should know more than what they know. We need to send this to an inquiry. We need to know about the nuts and bolts of all of this.'

All I ever hear about in this place is getting rid of the red tape. This is about getting rid of the red tape, and you're putting up a barrier because you want to give your input. No, I tell the Labor Party, it's all about the unions. You want to appease your unions. You're not worried about the workers out there that need to get on and get the job done, instead of filling out forms. It's got nothing to do with their work ethic. They have the ability, they've passed their courses, they have qualified to be able to do the jobs. When we have national disasters in different states, they should have the ability to cross the borders. We are one nation, and they should be able to cross the borders and go and do their jobs. After the comments today, I just shake my head at Labor; I really do. It's all about appeasing your cohort, the unions, to ensure that you're trying to do their job for them.

It's not too often a bill comes before the Senate with bipartisan support from both Labor and the Liberal government. But, in this instance, the Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill 2021 has managed to unite both sides of politics. National cabinet should be congratulated on finding some common ground on this bill. In my home state, we've seen a significant housing boom off the back of people fleeing COVID-prone states, not to mention the natural weather events that happen from time to time throughout Queensland and require considerable manpower to repair and rebuild. It's for this very reason One Nation has taken a favourable stance on supporting Australia's tradies, who up until this point have faced a level of difficulty or red tape, as most people would commonly refer to it, venturing across state borders to work on job sites.

I strongly believe this bill will also assist rural and regional communities that are struggling to attract tradespeople to complete jobs in those regions. Throughout the last 12 months, I've seen hailstorms rip through Central and South-East Queensland, which have resulted in tens of thousands of insurance claims for new roofs and various other repair works. The truth is there's so much work in these regions that we've required tradespeople, including plumbers, electricians and builders, to come across the border from other states to get families back in their homes so their lives can return to normal following these natural events.

I'm pleased to note that the Mutual Recognition Amendment Bill 2021 does not seek to water down the state's laws and conditions. Tradespeople will be subject to disciplinary actions and compliance surrounding each of their trades, which will prevent rogue operators. The amendments will also block tradies from evading workplace health and safety, environmental protection and animal welfare conditions. The automatic mutual recognition of trade qualifications will benefit over 168,000 workers, which has the potential of increasing economic activity by up to $2.4 billion over the next 10 years.

I'm only disappointed this bill does not and cannot amend the Heavy Vehicle National Law, which would reduce the regulatory burden on truck operators. Australian truckies should know that I did raise this issue with the government in the hope this bill could rectify the majority of problems our transport industry faces. But, unfortunately, the bill will only apply to truck licences that transport explosives. We have a lot of work ahead of us in the transport space. But after speaking with Ben Morton, the Assistant Minister to the Prime Minister and Cabinet, and others within government, they have assured me that they're happy to continue working with me and One Nation to reduce red tape in this area. So, you see, this is going to actually help 168,000 workers with the potential of increasing economic activity by $2.4 billion over the next 10 years.

Why would Labor oppose that? I will go back to what I asked, if Senator McAllister will tell me: how much input did the unions have to this to ensure that you had to send it to an inquiry? Surely, the facts speak for themselves. There's no need to send it to an inquiry. We just need to pass it, let common sense prevail and let the workers of Australia get on and do their jobs. It's fearmongering again from the Labor Party. That's all it is, and the theatrics of the whole lot of them, saying that this is going to have an impact on workers in Australia. No. it may have an impact on the unions, but not on the workers of Australia. So One Nation will gladly support this bill. Congratulations to the government, working with the national cabinet and premiers of the states, who know what is happening in their states.