Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith, whom the Albanese government refused to sack from the CFMEU, despite overseeing an appalling culture of law-breaking, recently said in a letter to CFMEU members: 'Politicians who have never stepped onto a construction site have overwhelmingly stripped away our union's democracy. You are right to be angry about what has happened. I'm angry about what has happened. I will continue to lead this union, serve the members and put your best interests forward. I will not be silent.' Minister, who is actually running the CFMEU at the moment? Is it the administrator, Mark Irving, is it John Setka, who keeps on turning up on government building sites to address CFMEU members, or is it Mr Smith, who has emphatically and publicly told members that he is still in charge?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The short answer is that the administrator is running the union.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Really? Are you sure?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, you've asked your question.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

What I would say to you, Senator Cash—and I note how much you wish to yell about this. I note you have always wanted to yell about it, and you've actually done so little, ever—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

He's turning up on construction sites.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

to actually improve governance inside the union. Can I remind senators why it is that this government took the strongest action that was available to us in relation to the CFMEU.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because you did nothing. You fought us every step of the way.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's because we believe that trade unionism matters to Australians. It matters to workers.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Hand the money back.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We do not believe that corruption—

James McGrath (Queensland, Liberal National Party, Shadow Assistant Minister to the Leader of the Opposition) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Hand the money back.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order on my left!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

violence and thuggery belong in the trade union movement. That is why we have done this. We have done this despite your opposition—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We supported the ABCC.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

and we have done it despite those at the other end of the chamber—the Greens, who call themselves progressive and who have aligned themselves with corruption, thuggery and violence in the trade union movement. We on this side understand the importance of the trade union movement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Senator Cash, I have called your name at least six times. You are being incredibly disrespectful towards me—Senator McGrath, equally. You are required to listen in silence. You have asked your question. The minister is responding. Minister Wong, please continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You did nothing for 10 years. We put them into administration. Let's be clear.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We know you ran a protection racket.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, I'm just wondering when you and the rest of the senators on my left are going to come to order. I called you to order, and the minute the minister got back up on her feet there was disorder. You are being disrespectful to the orders that I require you to adhere to. Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would remind Senator Cash and those opposite that the administrator has the power to terminate or suspend officials inside the CFMEU. I know that doesn't suit Senator Cash's political objective, but the administrator has the power to terminate or suspend officials of the union. That is the answer to your question.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know, Senator Cash, that it doesn't suit your political agenda for me to continue to assert that fact—for that fact to be true. The administrator has the power and the administrator is running the union. What I would say to Senator Cash again— (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, before I call you for your first supplementary, I have asked and asked for you to come to order and you've completely ignored me. I know you're on your feet, Senator Polley, but I have the floor at the moment. Please sit down. I will come to you. Senator Cash, I am asking you, once you've asked your question, to sit and listen in respectful silence. Senator Polley.

Helen Polley (Tasmania, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

On a point of order, I would like Senator Brockman to withdraw the slur that he made during the last little tete-a-tete that they were having. I ask you to ask him to withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Brockman.

Opposition senators interjecting—

Order! You may not have noticed, but Senator Brockman was on his feet. Senator Brockman, I didn't hear it, so—

Slade Brockman (WA, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm not sure what they're concerned about either, but I'm happy to withdraw.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Senator Brockman. Senator Cash, I am going to ask you to ask your first supplementary and then I'm going to ask you to listen in silence.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

How is the CFMEU's administrator supposed to do his job, given that Mr Smith is telling his members that he's still in charge? Will you, Minister, take the opportunity on behalf of the Albanese Labor government to condemn Mr Zach Smith for undermining the administrator?

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'm waiting for silence before I call Minister Wong.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The administrator is in charge, and the only person who is giving a platform for some of the comments is Senator Cash. I would make this point: Senator Cash in the primary was dealing a lot about Mr Setka. I would remind Senator Cash that it was under her and the government she was a part of that Mr Setka's power grew—that the corruption and the thuggery and the violence grew under the coalition, whilst the ABCC was in place and also while Senator Cash was the relevant minister. So we have taken stronger action than you were ever able or willing to take, and you know why we have done it? It was not as you wished to do, which was to seek to break the trade union movement, but because we want a trade union movement that is stronger and grounded in the values of the Labor movement, and corruption and violence are not grounded in the values of the trade union movement. (Time expired)

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Cash, second supplementary?

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Minister, Mr Smith also told CFMEU members in his public letter—and I quote: 'As long as you stick by tough, militant trade unionism, this is not the end of our union. As always, the CFMEU is here to stay.' Isn't it clear that numerous CFMEU officials like Mr Smith are not committed to changing the CFMEU's appalling culture? What action is the government going to take against Mr Smith?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Again I remind Senator Cash that the only person giving a platform to the comments that she is quoting is Senator Cash. I would remind Senator Cash that the administrator is in charge.

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

You're turning a blind eye!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I know she might not like that, but the administrator is in charge—

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Minister Wong, please continue.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The administrator is in charge, and the administrator has the power to terminate or suspend union officials and to date has terminated or suspended nearly 20 officials.

Murray Watt (Queensland, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There you go!

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

So that is a far more stringent set of actions that are taken under the administrator and that have been put in place by this government than have ever occurred, despite all of the protestations that those opposite—in particular Senator Cash, with police raids and other things—were involved in. What I would say to you, Senator Cash, is: you should back the administrator. We back the administrator, and we do so for the principled reasons we have outlined.

President, I ask that further questions be placed on notice.