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

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. In July of this year Prime Minister Albanese pretended to act surprised when revelations about the CFMEU's links with criminal activity were unearthed. Today we saw a whistleblower, Andrew Quirk, confirm that the Prime Minister knew about the links between your donors in the CFMEU and bikie gangs and criminal syndicates more than 10 years ago. The whistleblower personally told the now Prime Minister of his concerns. Can the minister please confirm that Mr Albanese has been well aware of the CFMEU's link with criminal activity, corruption, bullying, harassment and standover tactics for at least 10 years.

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

I did see those reports. I went and had a look at what was on the public record about these matters. I'll tell you what I can confirm, Senator. I can confirm that these matters were made public, including on the 7.30 program, in 2015—the year in which you became the responsible minister. So what we have is the person who had responsibility—

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

Minister Wong, please resume your seat. Order across the chamber, particularly Senators Watt and Cash.

Senator Birmingham, I'm calling the Senate to order! You are not immune to 203. I would hate to draw your attention to it—you are the leader of a party—but when I call the chamber to order you need to be listening. Minister Wong, please continue.

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

Thank you, President. We are reminded, of course, that it was the coalition which was in government when this became public—not through any meetings but on the 7.30 program.

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

Did you vote for our legislation?

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

What I would say to Senator Cash is perhaps if your government had been less focused on playing politics on a royal commission which was all about attacking the Labor Party and the trade union movement, maybe if you'd paid more attention to what was already public, you might have actually had the courage to do what the Prime Minister has done. That is to take the strongest action that could be taken against organised crime, violence and thuggery in the trade union movement, and we do so not because we are anti union; we are pro union.

We do so because we believe trade unions, trade unionists and workers deserve far better than the thuggery, corruption, violence and association with criminals that we have seen. Unfortunately, those opposite spent so much time in government playing a political agenda and trying to attack the Labor Party and the labour movement that they didn't do the job that they should have done. (Time expired)

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

Senator Cash, first supplementary?

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

Given that the Prime Minister clearly knew about the CFMEU's culture of corruption, bullying, standover tactics, law breaking and links with the criminal underworld for more than 10 years, why has the Prime Minister, on behalf of the Labor Party, accepted more than $6.2 million of donations from the CFMEU since becoming leader in 2019?

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

Why did the Liberal Party, which was in government in New South Wales and federally, do nothing to investigate these allegations?

Senator Cash, you were minister, I think, in September of that year, when those allegations were made public. Why did you do nothing about those allegations? Why is it that the Heydon royal commission, which was set up by the coalition, did nothing to investigate those allegations?

The Prime Minister has taken stronger action against the CFMEU than any prime minister or any minister has. As much as you might like to try and tell us that you were tough on the CFMEU, it is the Prime Minister who has put the construction division into administration—stronger action than any government has ever taken—and of course the Prime Minister, as leader, expelled John Setka from the Labor Party. (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

Again, given that the Prime Minister of Australia clearly knew about the CFMEU's culture of corruption, bullying, standover tactics, law breaking and links with the criminal underworld for more than 10 years, why did he give the CFMEU control of the construction sector in Australia when he abolished the Australian Building and Construction Commission?

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

This is the ABCC which, by your own admission, did nothing in relation to these allegations—just so we are clear. This is the ABCC, which you tout as the great cop on the beat, which did nothing in relation to the allegations which were made public in 2015.

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

Wait for the next whistleblower.

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

The reality is: this government and this Prime Minister have taken stronger action to stamp out criminal conduct in the CFMEU than any government ever has. We have done so because we are the Labor Party and we believe in the principles of trade unionism, and they do not extend to corruption, violence and organised crime.

What you did was try to go after workers, try to go after the principle of trade unions and try to go after the Labor Party. You were so focused on that political agenda, you didn't actually do the job you should have done.

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

Senator Cash, I called you a number of times during the minister's response. You paid no attention.

Senator Cash, you're not in a debate with me. You paid no attention to me. Your running commentary while the minister was answering was incredibly disrespectful. Senator Waters.