Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister Assisting the Prime Minister for Women, Senator Cash. Can the minister inform the Senate of any incidents which evidence a subculture of abuse or violence against women in the workplace?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Ruston for the question. Yesterday Minister Abetz highlighted four very serious cases of abuse and aggression by CFMEU officials directed at female staff members of the industry watchdog. There was the official who reportedly spat at a female inspector. The Heydon royal commission found Luke Collier used lewd expletives to refer to the same female inspector. At Senate estimates we learnt that Victorian assistant secretary Shaun Reardon made late-night threatening phone calls to a female inspector. And we learnt of another official who threatened to bring seven mates over to gang-rape a female staff member.

Late yesterday the Federal Court handed down another decision finding against the CFMEU, finding several of its officials responsible for the 2012 Grocon blockade in Melbourne. One of the respondents found to have committed these unlawful acts of intimidation was the same Shaun Reardon. Another who was also found to have acted unlawfully was one Craig Johnston, who was described by the court as a member and officer of the CFMEU and a branch council member. Mr Craig Johnston has a history when it comes to workplace thuggery. This is the same Craig Johnston who, as Victorian secretary of the AMWU, smashed his way into Melbourne offices, leading 30 balaclava-clad thugs, hurled chairs through windows, up-ended filing cabinets, flung computers to the floor and threatened staff, including a woman who was five months pregnant. This woman was left cowering from the fumes of a fire extinguisher released by Johnston and his thugs, which she feared would harm her unborn baby and which led to the need for counselling. For his deplorable actions, Johnston was convicted of riot, affray, criminal damage and aggravated burglary and served nine months in prison. He was expelled from his union but, when he was released, the CFMEU took him on as an organiser. I call on senators opposite to stop the spread of this subculture of disrespect and abuse against women. (Time expired)

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Could the minister further inform the Senate what has been the response of leaders of the trade union movement to these incidents of abuse and aggression towards women?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Far from the union movement raising concerns about these very serious matters, as I said, Mr Johnston was re-employed by the CFMEU. It appears that the union movement is too concerned with its baseless workplace relations scare campaigns to protect women threatened by union thuggery. Yesterday ACTU President Ged Kearney was asked specifically about whether the union movement would support any building industry watchdog, and she said no. I find it concerning that the unions believe that there is no need for a watchdog to stand up for women on building work sites. CFMEU National Secretary Dave Noonan responded to the sexist expletives fired at a female inspector by his official Luke Collier by issuing a defensive press release stating, 'Swearing on building sites is nothing new.' I call on the ACTU and the CFMEU to stand up to union thuggery and support a strong building watchdog and the return of the ABCC.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question. Will the minister inform the Senate of any concerns raised by others about incidents of abuse and aggression towards women in the building and construction industry?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is a deafening silence from those opposite on this issue. The Labor Party and the Greens—I note both led by females in this place—need to stand up for women on this issue. Their parties are happy to accept millions of dollars in donations from the CFMEU, but I ask whether they are happy to call that union to account when the sexist and abusive behaviour of its officials is so despicable. They say they want to close the gender pay gap by supporting female participation in non-traditional industries, but I have to say: what woman, or female, is going to want to go into the building and construction sites when this type of behaviour by union officials is on display day after day? And it is condoned, quite frankly, by those on the other side, who owe their places in this place to those same unions. Labor and the Greens need to stand up and call it out when they see it, especially when it comes to union thuggery on building sites. (Time expired)