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

This place is supposed to look at legislation put before us without fear or favour. That's not the case when it comes to unions, especially the CFMEU. We know the Labor Party was based initially on unions. It was started by the workers of the country. It was supposed to back the workers by all means. But we've seen over the period of time since that the unionists have become so powerful that they are actually directing the Labor Party. This place is no longer without fear or favour. Instead it is controlled by the unions, as I see it.

We know the problems that the CFMEU has been faced with. It's getting into bed with bikies and organised crime, committing criminal assaults on non-union workers just trying to make a living, and stalking and illegally intimidating non-union workers at their homes. When I first came back to the Senate in 2016, the ABCC bill was brought before me and my colleagues. After months of research and talking to not only unions but also building and construction workers and organisations, the thuggery and bullying that were going on were clearly shown to us—where subcontractors couldn't deliver or go on the grounds of the worksites. They actually had to hand over cash or they couldn't deliver their concrete. They were denied. They were told by the unions, 'If you don't comply with what we want, you won't get any more jobs.' That was dealt with by the ABCC, and I was pleased that it was our vote that actually got that bill up and brought it into play. It did very well during its time, as did ROC, the Registered Organisations Commission. They reined in what was happening and gave more accountability.

I have to admit that One Nation voted against the ensuring integrity bill because, at that time, we looked at the legislation and we thought that we were not being told upfront what it actually entailed. I think that both sides of this parliament—the Labor Party and the Liberal and National parties—need to be upfront with us. I've only just received this bill that's come before us, and you're wanting it to come before the parliament. We only received it in our office this morning. That's when we got it. Knowing the record of the Labor Party, you're going to bring it on in the parliament, and, like 90 or 100 other bills, you'll guillotine it. You guillotine bills so they can't be debated. Is that your plan? Is that what you intend to do? Or will you have a full discussion about it because you know the effect being associated with CFMEU is going to have on the Labor Party? In one way, I don't trust what you're actually going to do.

Let me refer back to the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024. It's supposed to set up an administrator, but, under 323B, relating to the scheme for the administration of the Construction and General Division and its branches, it says, 'The minister may, in writing, determine a scheme for the administration of the Construction and General Division.' In (3) it says the scheme 'may' provide for the appointment of a person as the administrator of the scheme, and it goes on. In this bill, there are absolutely no guidelines for office bearers or employees, to check if they have a criminal record or are associated with a criminal organisation. That's not in the bill, so we don't know who you're going to have working in this office. Are they criminals? That's not even covered in this bill.

There's also no whistleblower protections in this bill. Where's the protection for people who are whistleblowers? If they're subcontractors and are forced to pay money, where is their protection in this bill? Where can they go then and not be told at the next job controlled by the CFMEU that they aren't going to be allowed onto the site? Where is it in the bill that states that donations from the CFMEU should not be accepted by any political party or organisation? What about the third party that you've allowed to go on? You've done nothing about that. You're backdooring of getting those donations from the CFMEU and other organisations stinks to high heaven because you have no intentions of really doing anything about it. Then you go further in the bill. This is only what I've been able to pick up in the short period of time, the last hour before I came into the chamber, that I've had this bill. Let me go to section 323C, appointment of an administrator. It says, 'The general manager must, in writing, appoint a person to be the administrator of the scheme.' But it then goes on to say, 'The general manager may, by writing, terminate the appointment.' On what basis?

You're going to appoint a general manager who can then appoint an administrator—who is probably going to be one of your backroom boys, one of your pat-on-the-back mates—and then general manager can actually sack the administrator, possibly if they're not doing the job that you want them to do, so that he can appoint whoever he wants to. What an open-ended, smoke-and-mirrors bit of legislation this is. It's a load of rubbish as far as I'm concerned. You have no intentions of reining it in, because you have an obligation the CFMEU and the other union organisations that you are here at the behest of. That's the real problem that I have with all of this.

Yes, we do need to do something about it. We're aware of the problems with it. If you are serious about it, instead of this piece of rubbish that you put before this parliament, I suggest that you introduce the ABCC. If you are fair dinkum and want to rein it in—and I agree with what Senator Michaelia Cash said; what she says is all very on point—bring back the ABCC, bring back the ROC legislation. And One Nation will look at the ensuring integrity bill, and we will then support that, if you're fair dinkum about doing something about it without fear of favour in this parliament. But you haven't got the guts do it, because you're relying on unions to give you those donations.

You're not fair with the Australian people. You're not backing the Australian workers out there who are connected to the unions. You're letting these thugs run and control this country, and that is a real shame. These workers are dragged along with this, because, if they don't go along with the bosses are telling them, they will be without a job. And there's thuggery that goes on—they're forcing them to join these unions at a huge financial cost to them, and for what?

I'd say to the Australian people out there, those people who are connected with these unions, who are on the sides and who know this is wrong: why don't you stand up for your fellow Australians, these small businesses and these people that are trying to do their jobs? Why don't you do the right thing by them? At the end of the day, it is actually costing you. A lot of these government sites that the CFMEU are working on are costing taxpayers in excess of 30 per cent more because of the CFMEU thugs and bullies on these sites determining it. Even the Cross River Rail in Brisbane is now being controlled by the CFMEU and the stunts that they're pulling at the moment.

What I say to the Australian workers out there is wake up to yourselves. You're not a bunch of thugs. Don't be railed in and called one under the CFMEU. You are hardworking Australians. Consider your fellow Australians in standing up to these thugs.