Katy Gallagher (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I give notice that, on the next day of sitting, I shall move:

That the provisions of paragraphs (5) to (8) of standing order 111 not apply to the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Administration) Bill 2024, allowing it to be considered during this period of sittings.

I also table a statement of reasons justifying the need for the bill to be considered during these sittings and seek leave to have the statement incorporated in Hansard.

Leave granted.

The statement read as follows—

Purpose of the Bill

This Bill would amend the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 to place the Construction and General Division, and each branch of the Construction and General Division, of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union into administration and make related provision.

Reasons for Urgency

On 13 July 2024, The Age, the Australian Financial Review and the Sydney Morning Herald published details of an investigation they had undertaken into the Construction and General Division involving serious allegations of wrongdoing by its officials and those associated with the Construction and General Division.

On 14 July 2024, similar allegations on the 60 Minutes television program were broadcast. Further allegations have reported on since. Those allegations include statements about alleged links between some Construction and General Division officials and various persons with criminal histories, including persons associated with outlaw motorcycle gangs, and some statements alleging that persons had represented themselves to employers within the building industry as being able to procure the agreement of the Construction and General Division to make an enterprise agreement with the employer which would facilitate that employer obtaining building or construction projects.

The Bill requires passage in the 2024 Spring sittings to provide an effective response to the grave allegations that have been made, with the necessary speed and efficiency.