Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Abetz. I refer the minister to secondary boycott proceedings commenced last week by the ACCC against the CFMEU in the state of Victoria. Can the minister inform the Senate of the government's response to the ACCC's decision to commence these proceedings?

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

The government welcomes the ACCC's decision to commence legal proceedings against the CFMEU in respect of its long-running secondary boycott against Boral. According to the ACCC, the CFMEU instructed shop stewards to ban the use of Boral concrete at commercial construction sites in metropolitan Melbourne. Shop stewards then allegedly told Boral customers that on certain commercial construction sites Boral concrete was not permitted.

Last Friday the ACCC also announced it had commenced proceedings against the union's state secretary, John Setka, and his assistant Shaun Reardon for attempting to induce Boral to not supply concrete to Grocon as well, engaging in undue harassment and coercion. Mr Setka reportedly told Boral management: 'All wars end and once peace is established the CFMEU will be at the table to divide up the spoils. The CFMEU will decide who gets what and what market share Boral will get.'

These are just some of the ugly tactics that have been outlined in the material by the ACCC. Regrettably, in the light of these revelations, we get nothing but deathly silence from the Australian Labor Party. It is simply unacceptable that such alleged threats can be made, such actions can be taken and such ugliness endorsed by those opposite and in the Victorian Labor Party by their silence. These proceedings have had to overcome a sordid culture of secrecy. The ACCC is to be congratulated. I trust that the matter will come to an expeditious resolution.

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate if there is any potential for industrial thuggery and criminality in the Victorian building industry to increase?

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

As Senator Canavan would be aware, industrial thuggery and criminality are, regrettably, nothing new to the Victorian building industry. The CFMEU has for many years sat on the fringes of society, consorting with outlaw bikie gangs and the criminal underbelly of Melbourne—the ugliest expression of trade unionism, but embraced by the Victorian Labor Party. If Victorians elect an Andrews Labor government, they can expect the CFMEU to come out from the fringes and be ushered in to the cabinet room with the red carpet. Even former Labor Premier John Cain had the integrity to deregister the thoroughly corrupt Builders Labourers Federation, promising to remove this rogue organisation from the Victorian industrial scene. In sharp contrast, Mr Andrews would lead a government that would fully embrace the corrupt CFMEU. (Time expired)

Matthew Canavan (Queensland, Liberal National Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Can the minister advise the Senate on how Victorians can protect their workplaces from the influence of corrupt construction unions?

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

Despite the overwhelming evidence of CFMEU corruption, Victoria's Labor alternative Premier, Daniel Andrews, continues to stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the corrupt CFMEU and Mr Setka. Mr Andrews has vowed to tear up the Victorian construction code of practice simply to appease Mr Setka and his CFMEU paymaster. Earlier today esteemed jurist Terence Cole indicated that abolishing the code would signal that the Victorian government was not concerned about enforcing the rule of law in the building industry. To quote:

Only a political party in thrall to the building unions would contemplate abolishing a state's building code.

A Setka-Andrews government in the thrall of the CFMEU cannot be trusted to protect Victoria's workplaces. It cannot be trusted to form the next government of Victoria. (Time expired)