Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Leader of the Government in the Senate and Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz, and relates to the opposition's decision yesterday to block passage of the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment Bill 2014.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Senator Wong interjecting—

Senator Cormann interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senators Cormann and Wong, I am waiting to hear the question.

Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you. It is a shame when they clearly—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just ask the question, not debate.

Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister advise the Senate how honest union members have been deserted by the blocking of this bill in this place?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Labor's decision yesterday to oppose better governance arrangements for trade unions by voting down the registered organisations commission sadly confirms what everyone already suspected: Labor is not the party of honest trade union members but the protector of dodgy union bosses. Senators opposite need to explain why a union official should be liable for a fine of only $10,200 when, for the same corrupt behaviour by a company director, that director would be liable for five years imprisonment or fines of $320,000. But at least in this regard Labor is consistent, because Labor is the party of Craig Thomson and Michael Williamson, whose senators voted down motions condemning their actions. So it begs the question: if Labor cannot condemn corruption, why would they seek to stop it?

Mr Shorten talks about modernising the Australian Labor Party, and I simply say to him: You cannot modernise the Labor Party without modernising the trade union movement. And I have no doubt that tonight Mr Shorten will be exactly the same as he is on this matter. He will refuse to identify the problem. He will refuse to acknowledge that there is a problem. He will say one thing about economic responsibility but then keep voting in this place to deny economic responsibility being implemented. That is the stark contrast in what Mr Shorten says, be it on unionism and the Labor Party or on economic fiscal responsibility. He will say one thing for the interviews and then do the exact opposite in this parliament by voting down good policy for the future of our country.

Senator Lines interjecting—

Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. I thank the minister for that response. Can the minister advise the Senate what the obstacles have been to securing—

Senator Lines interjecting—

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Kroger, continue.

Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I will actually restart. Can the minister advise the Senate what the obstacles have been to securing the better governance arrangements for trade unions contained in the registered organisations bill?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Talk about self-identification: as soon as Senator Kroger asked that question, who came out right on cue? None other than Senator Lines, who you will recall boasted:

I am a trade union official; it runs through my blood. I am now a senator, but 'once a trade union official, always a trade union official'.

Opposition Senators:

Opposition senators interjecting—

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

And they are saying, 'Hear, hear!' I simply say to them that, once you enter this place, you have to set aside your sectional interests and put forward the national interests, and that is something that Mr Shorten and the Australian Labor Party have simply not been able to set aside.

Opposition senators interjecting—

What I would invite Senator Lines and all her colleagues to do is, in fact, have a blood transfusion, get rid of the sectional interests and put the national interest into your heart and souls, because it will be surprising what a difference that will make for the benefit of our nation.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Doug Cameron (NSW, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Run that line by the pensioners!

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Cameron, it will assist the chamber if you cease calling across the chamber.

Helen Kroger (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise whether the Senate will have another opportunity to consider this vital legislation after 1 July? If so, will the obstacles to better governance arrangements for trade unions have changed in any way?

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government is committed to ensuring the clean-up of registered organisations. We went to the election with a very firm policy in this regard, and we have every intention of pursuing it. The simple fact is that after 1 July the DNA pool on that side will in fact become even more concentrated, with the percentage of ex-trade union officials sitting on that side being even greater—hitting about two-thirds. Two-thirds of all those Labor senators will be former trade union officials—who, as Senator Lines said so eloquently, put the union interest before the national interest. We invite the new Senate to see the benefit of the Registered Organisations Commission—something that Martin Ferguson and Simon Crean, both former ACTU presidents, have in fact endorsed.