James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment, Senator Cash. Can the minister update the Senate on recent events that highlight the need for improved governance arrangements for registered organisations?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Paterson for his question. I can inform the Senate that just this week the New South Wales CFMEU has done a deal to hand senior leadership positions to a Mr Brian Parker and a Mr Darren Greenfield. In relation to the second gentlemen, this is the same Darren Greenfield who has been referred to authorities for making a death threat to a colleague, and, further to that, taking weekly $2½ thousand kickbacks for the CFMEU from crime figure George Alex.

In relation to Mr Brian Parker, he has been referred to authorities for perjury, obstructing a Fair Work building inspector and gross neglect of duty. He pressured female superannuation fund executives to leak to him confidential lists of member details, and, when one of those executives was asked by the Heydon royal commission about this leak, she initially denied the truth because 'she was absolutely terrified of what Mr Parker might do to her or to her family'. Commissioner Heydon asked the CFMEU to consider removing Mr Parker from his position. Surely the CFMEU's members deserve better than this. They deserve better than the officials who lead them, who have a history of abuse, intimidation and violence. With deals being done like this, and with examples like this, it is little wonder that we still have approximately 100 CFMEU officials facing our courts.

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

Senator Paterson, a supplementary question.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Cash; those are very disturbing revelations. What action is the government taking to tackle lawlessness and misappropriation within the union movement?

Catryna Bilyk (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You need to toughen up!

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senators will be aware that the government has proposed vital reforms to protect hard-working union members by cleaning up the bad behaviour of trade union officials and providing stronger laws for both trade union and employer organisations. Why have we done this? Because hard-working union members should not have their money misappropriated to pay for, for example, extravagant holidays, sex toys, tattoos, concert tickets, imported cars and dating services; they should not have their money misappropriated by officials who think that the hard-working members' money is their own to fund their lifestyles.

We have repeatedly brought legislation before this Senate to ensure greater transparency and more accountability of both union and employer organisations. But you have heard the shrieks from those on the other side— (Time expired)

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

Point of order, Senator Macdonald?

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

I am sorry to interrupt the question and I did not want to interrupt the minister, but I heard Senator Bilyk say, in response to Senator Cash's first answer, that the 'women should toughen up' and I would ask that she be asked to withdraw that.

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

There is no point of order.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Opposition in the Senate) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

If I may make it clear: as I understood it, Mr President, Senator Bilyk was actually suggesting Senator Paterson toughen up.

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

In any event, there is no point of order. Senator Paterson, final supplementary question.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We all need to toughen up. How will the government's reforms help to protect union members and employees?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Those who run both union and employer organisations need to be accountable to their members. The current laws clearly have not prevented numerous examples of bad behaviour. Members fees should be spent for the benefit of the members, not swindled on private follies by those in charge. As a policymaker, when you have a proven fact that the laws are weak and not deterring behaviour then the appropriate policy response is to toughen up the laws, which is what we are seeking to do.

The former ACTU chief Bill Kelty said this last November:

I was always on that side of the debate which said that unions are public bodies so they are ­accountable to members …

     …      …      …

I wouldn’t allow this sort of industrial behaviour and the extravagant payments and expenditures to officials. Unions have to take their responsibility to members very seriously—

(Time expired)