Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Hansard source

I move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings.

The Albanese Labor government has introduced a bill to ensure a clear pathway to enable the appointment of an administrator to all branches of the Construction and General Division of the CFMEU.

To senators today, there are times when legislation comes to this place that we need to deal with expeditiously, and this is one of those pieces of legislation. I'm calling on everyone in this chamber to agree to exempt the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024 from the cut-off. I know that senators have been provided with copies of the legislation—it was introduced yesterday—and that briefings have occurred. Everything the government could have done to ensure that people are briefed on this legislation to allow this motion to proceed has been put in place, and I would say that the people of Australia are expecting a strong response to the allegations that have been raised publicly about the behaviour of some elements within the CFMEU across this country. That is what this legislation seeks to assist in resolving by appointing an administrator.

We don't have time to have this sit around for weeks. We want to respond quickly. The issues are fairly clear. The allegations are serious, and I think the Australian public expect us to respond quickly and put in place arrangements that can provide assurance to the public and the members of that union that steps have been taken to make sure that the problems identified, the allegations raised, are being dealt with and that the union can continue to go on and represent its members across the building and construction industry.

It's essential, because of the nature of the work that's done in that industry, that members are represented by a strong union. We know that that is an important part of ensuring workplace safety on the building sites, but serious allegations have been raised, including those that involve outlaw bikie gangs, and the government needs to respond. That's what this legislation does. All the motion before the Senate today does is allow for this bill to start being debated and for us to start working through our process.

The government would like this bill dealt with in this chamber this week so that it can go to the House and be dealt with in that chamber. We think it is important that we are able to leave this week's sitting with a very firm view from the Senate that this legislation is the right way to proceed. I know that a lot of work is being done by the minister to make sure that people are briefed and to make sure that, where there are discussions about possible amendments or areas of the legislation that need to be clarified, that work is done and people aren't held up. But this Senate cannot, and should not, get in the way of this legislation passing. It is urgent. We have all seen the stories of the unacceptable behaviour that is alleged to have been occurring on building sites in this country, and this is one way to ensure that proper processes are being put in place. We acknowledge that the union has taken some steps under the national secretary, but we believe that more needs to be done. This bill will allow those arrangements to be put in place quickly and allow the work to start rebuilding the union to occur.

There is no reason to delay. If there is any advice people need, any briefings people need or any assurance people need, officials are available and able to brief people. Anything that seeks to delay the passage of this bill is pure politics, when it is no time for those kinds of games. It's all about getting the job done and making sure we get this legislation passed and an administrator put in place across all branches of the CFMEU so that the recovery work for that union can begin, to make it the union that its members need it to be. We know there's a lot of politics attached to this, and we have no doubt that the opposition will provide some commentary in that space as soon as I sit down. But, in relation to this piece of legislation, this is one time that this Senate can get together and do the right thing, which is to put in place those arrangements as quickly as possible and not leave the parliament this session without that job being done. The people of Australia expect us to respond quickly when we need to and when we have to, and this is exactly one of those types of situations.

I urge everyone to support this motion to exempt the bill from the cut-off but, more than that, to support this legislation and get it done quickly. We could pass it today if it were the will of the Senate. There is no reason why we cannot sit and pass this legislation today and get it to the House tomorrow. They can deal with it then, and we can have this legislation and an administrator in place as soon as possible. That is the challenge I throw out to the Senate. I think it's a reasonable challenge considering the allegations that have been raised, and I urge senators to support this motion.