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 any developments relating to the recent disgraceful threats made against Commonwealth public servants?

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

Yes, I can; and, given the public outpouring of disgust at the threats made to mums, dads and their kids by the CFMEU's John Setka at the rally held in Melbourne on Tuesday, is very interesting that Mr Setka is now trying to pretend that he did not make any threats against the ABCC inspectors. It is unfortunate for Mr Setka, though, that he has a long history of criminal violence and making vile threats against anyone who does not agree with him or who does not do as he wishes, as do, unfortunately, many other officials in the CFMEU. Hence, senators will not be surprised that the CFMEU itself has dismissed the threats made by Mr Setka, suggesting that, colleagues, they were just off-hand comments or maybe just hyperbole. It is a very strange type of hyperbole given Mr Setka's track record. Let's go through it. Was it hyperbole when Mr Setka was convicted of assaulting a police officer? I would not have thought so. Was it hyperbole when Mr Setka—this is actually disgusting—told an employer that he hoped he would die of his cancer? Yes, that is the type of person Mr Setka is. Was it hyperbole when Mr Setka was arrested and charged with blackmailing Boral? Was it hyperbole when a CFMEU official menacingly told workers on a Gold Coast site: 'I know your phone number. I know where you live.' Was it hyperbole when a CFMEU member called an ABCC inspector and threatened her with gang rape? That's a funny type of hyperbole!

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

Can the minister further update the Senate on individual responses to Mr Setka's latest threats against Commonwealth public servants?

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

It continues to astound not only those on this side of the chamber but also based on all the comments I am reading online and on talkback radio that the current Leader of the Opposition, Mr Bill Shorten, has failed to sever ties with the CFMEU and with Mr Setka. But, unfortunately, as it has been pointed out, we all know why: they hold Labor's purse strings, and when you hold the purse strings you get to tell them what to do. In terms of doing the right thing, colleagues, when the member for Watson, Mr Tony Burke, was asked this morning if John Setka should be removed from his position at the CFMEU, he tried to avoid the question not once, not twice, not three times, not four times, not five times, not six times and not seven time but eight times saying, 'I do not necessarily have a fixed view on that.' (Time expired)

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

Senator Paterson, a final supplementary question.

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

Minister, how can all parliamentarians ensure that they fully distance themselves from or even repudiate such appalling behaviour?

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

They can stop making excuses like the current Leader of the Opposition and the Premier of Victoria, who have played down Mr Setka's comments, pretending they are not an issue, and basically indicating that we do not need to worry because—colleagues, I note—'union boys will be union boys'. That is an absolute disgrace. Mr Shorten, quite frankly, needs to be a little more like Anthony Albanese and show a bit of spine and disassociate from the CFMEU. They need to stop taking the money, the millions of dollars that the CFMEU provides to them. More importantly, however, they cannot continue to stand up and pretend to be appalled by these comments and then quite literally turn their backs on everything else that is happening. They want to pretend this is not an issue, but given the track record of the millions of dollars donated by the CFMEU to the Labor Party— (Time expired)