Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Hansard source

Yes—surprised that someone was finally printing this—

Opposition senators interjecting—

That's exactly right. I was shocked and surprised, seriously, at Mr Albanese's reaction. Good grief! But do you know who was shocked and surprised even more? A CFMEU whistleblower named Andrew Quirk. Do you know why he was surprised and shocked at what Mr Albanese, as Prime Minister of this country, said to the Australian people? Remember, Mr Albanese was asked, 'When did you first find out about the allegations of bullying, thuggery, intimidation and harassment, but, more than that, that underworld figures controlled the CFMEU and the construction industry in Australia?' Mr Quirk was quite surprised that Mr Albanese was shocked and surprised and had only found out about it recently, because Mr Quirk had met with Mr Albanese in 2014. And Mr Albanese has not denied that that meeting occurred.

In fact, the CFMEU sacked Mr Quirk as a result of his going public with what was going on in the construction industry of Australia. He has now been vindicated in the courts, but it's taken years and years because he has been pursued every single step of the way by the CFMEU. Mr Quirk is on the record. He's even happy to have his name across the papers in Australia saying: 'Hold on, I met with the now Prime Minister of Australia in 2014. I told him of the bullying, thuggery, intimidation and harassment, but, more than that, that I had concerns that Mick Gatto'—Google Mick Gatto, anyone listening in on this debate—