Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Human Services, Senator Payne, representing the Minister for Employment. Will the minister update the Senate on recent evidence of the culture of lawlessness in parts of the construction industry?

Senator Cameron interjecting—

Senator Edwards interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Edwards, you have asked your question. Senator Cameron, we do not need to hear from you either.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Edwards for his question. The Heydon royal commission has exposed what can only be described as intimate connections between the militant CFMEU and underworld figure George Alex. The royal commission's interim report found Mr Alex was a phoenix operator. He repeatedly sent companies broke, owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to workers. Yet the CFMEU continually entered enterprise agreements with his companies, effectively giving them a ticket to work in the industry. It is also alleged that certain officials received kickbacks in return.

Mr Alex is currently serving a sentence for threats to kill. Yesterday he advised the royal commission that underworld figure Mick Gatto and Comanchero bikie Bilal Fatrouni are his 'good friends'. Alex also revealed that Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar regularly trained in his backyard gym. They are, of course, the individuals convicted for plots to blow up the MCG and Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in 2005 and who fled Australia last year to fight with IS in Syria.

However, when some brave whistleblowers within the CFMEU raised their own concerns about Alex's companies, they were subjected to abuse and death threats. When questioned about this at a Senate committee hearing, the national secretary of the union, Mr Dave Noonan, completely abdicated responsibility and said the allegations 'have not so far been borne out by evidence in the royal commission'.

It is very concerning that this sort of lawlessness prevails within the national construction union and that its senior leadership remains complicit. It is one reason why the government continues to support the important work of the royal commission in exposing— (Time expired)

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question.

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

You have a chance to ask about jobs in South Australia, you wimp.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cameron, withdraw that remark.

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Stand up and withdraw it.

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Edwards, I do not need assistance from you.

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

I do think the senator is a wimp, but I will withdraw it, if it helps the Senate.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You are just a thug, just another union thug.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be order on both sides.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just another union thug.

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a supplementary question. Can the minister inform the Senate what steps this government is taking to ensure lawful and fair workplaces?

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Just before I call on the minister, Senator Macdonald, in the interests of fairness, I think you should also withdraw that remark.

Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I do think he is a thug, but I will withdraw.

Honourable senators interjecting—

Stephen Parry (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know it is the last day for a while, but let's have a bit of order.

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

) ( ): I think I remember the question! The government intend to restore the rule of law on building and construction sites. We intend to do that through the re-establishment of the Australian Building and Construction Commission. It is only through having a tough cop on the beat, with proper penalties available, that we can force the militant construction union to desist from its unlawful activities and ensure that employers, contractors and workers do the right thing on construction sites.

As identified by the Cole royal commission over a decade ago, this is an industry in need of specific attention. The Heydon royal commission has already identified similar cases of unlawfulness in this industry. Just as the police routinely assist the community by dealing with threats to community safety and of rule of law, the ABCC will assist the industry by dealing with threats to safety and the rule of law in the construction industry. The Labor Party claim to have zero tolerance for union corruption. They should prove it by voting to support the reintroduction of the ABCC.

Sean Edwards (SA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I ask a further supplementary question.

Senator Cameron interjecting—

You're a rabble! Will the minister inform the Senate of the impediments to the reforms needed to ensure lawful conduct across the construction industry?

Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Despite the royal commission interim report finding a culture of wilful defiance of the law, which appears to lie at the core of the CFMEU, reinforced by the evidence revealed this week, it seems to me that those opposite do not even flinch in support for their major donor, the CFMEU. They are much more interested in accepting millions of dollars in tainted CFMEU donations than they are in protecting genuine whistleblowers and ensuring lawfulness within an industry that needs urgent attention.

Since 2007 the records indicate that the CFMEU has donated more than $6 million to the Australian Labor Party and $200,000 to the Greens political party. If the Labor Party and the Greens were serious about the rule of law, about the rights of workers and about safe and fair workplaces, then they would support the reintroduction of the Australian building and construction commission, and they would immediately stop accepting funds from the tainted, militant CFMEU. (Time expired)