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. On Thursday last week, at a press conference, the Prime Minister was asked: 'Prime Minister, what did you make of the treatment of women in those allegations that surfaced from that 60 Minutes report?' The Prime Minister's answer was: 'Oh, they were appalling.' He then moved on to take the next question. Minister, do the women bashed, harassed and treated appallingly by CFMEU members in that 60 Minutes report not deserve more than four words from the Prime Minister? Doesn't the Prime Minister of our country have more to say than just four words on this matter of national importance, which is tearing our construction industry apart and costing Australians billions of dollars?

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

Thank you. First, the allegations and the footage that were aired on 60 Minutes were sickening, and we are very clear that everyone in this country deserves a safe and respectful workplace, and these women should not have been subject to such hostile and offensive behaviour. I understand that Senator Watt has referred the matter to the Victorian Deputy Premier as the Minister for WorkSafe and asked that appropriate action be taken in this jurisdiction, and the allegations of violence have been referred to the Australian Federal Police, where they fall within the AFP's jurisdiction.

But let's be clear about what Senator Cash is actually suggesting and what Mr Dutton is actually suggesting. They are proposing to deregister the CFMEU, which would hand the keys back to Mr Setka. I want to be very clear about the proposition that those opposite, who are seeking to gain as much political division around this as possible, are making. Their so-called solution would actually hand the keys to the CFMEU back to John Setka, the person who the Prime Minister kicked out of the Labor Party. Let's be clear. That is the action—

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

Minister Wong, I have Senator Cash on her feet.

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

Thank you. It's a point of order in relation to relevance. The question was specifically in relation to the Prime Minister's almost dismissal of the allegations that women were bashed, harassed and treated appallingly by CFMEU members. I'd ask you to draw the minister to the question, please.

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

The matter was about the 60 Minutes program. Yes, you did refer to the Prime Minister, and the minister is being directly relevant to your question. Minister Wong, please continue.

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

The Prime Minister and everyone in this government stand against violence against women, full stop.

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

Minister, it's Australia's mums and dads who pay for Labor's failure to stamp out criminality in the construction sector. Mum and dad pay more for hospitals, roads and schools, and they pay every day through lost opportunities. There are very real concerns that taxpayer money is flowing into the pockets of bikies and that CFMEU members of outlaw motorcycle gangs are reportedly being paid up to $10,000 a week for jobs that require little or no work. Minister, can you confirm if these concerns are true or not?

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

What I can confirm is that many of the allegations have surfaced—and they are appalling allegations—as a result of the administrator's investigations. What I can also confirm is that a number of these events occurred on your watch, when the ABCC was still in place. What I can confirm is that your policy would ensure that those criminal elements could gain control again of that organisation, could be back in workplaces and could be back in the employment circumstance without regulation. What I can confirm is that this would mean that you would be giving the keys to the CFMEU back to Mr Setka and his cronies. We are clear: organised crime has no place in the Australian trade union movement.

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, are you still a member of the CFMEU, and is this why you're so keen to defend them from any scrutiny?

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Minister Wong, I haven't called you. I'm waiting for order. Minister Wong, please continue.

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

I'm very happy to answer this very personal question. I am a member of the furnishing division. I was a member of the furnishing trades union, including the loggers, who stood up with timber workers and timber owners in support of the timber industry. It is the furniture and manufacturing sector. And this really shows that you don't understand who is standing up to organised crime in the trade union movement.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Order across the chamber. Minister, have you finished your answer?

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

As I was saying, it really shows that those on the other side just have a general anti-union attitude. Those divisions of the CFMEU have stood against criminal elements inside the union because we do not believe our movement should have any truck with organised crime. You don't even understand who has stood up in our movement against organised crime—including the Prime Minister.

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order! Senators, when I call order I expect order.