Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education, representing the Minister for Employment.

Ms Catherine King (Ballarat, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Health) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, on a point of order: the Treasurer made a most unparliamentary remark at me. I would ask him to withdraw it.

Joe Hockey (North Sydney, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I did: I called them hypocrites. I withdraw.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Quite right; it is unparliamentary.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Point of order, Madam Speaker: if anyone from our side did exactly that, you would have ejected them. You would have done that for any one of us, and you would have been right to do so, Madam Speaker.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Manager of Opposition Business is tempting me. The Treasurer has used the word 'hypocrite'. It is unparliamentary and he has withdrawn. The member for Bonner has the call.

Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Thank you, Madam Speaker. My question is to the Minister for Education, representing the Minister for Employment.

Honourable members interjecting—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There will be silence! The member for Bonner will begin again.

Ross Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education representing the Minister for Employment. I refer the minister to the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption. Why is it necessary to ensure the highest levels of probity in the union movement in Australia, particularly given their historic links to registered organisations?

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for Bonner for his question. It is true that Australian workers do deserve the highest levels of probity in the management of the union movement. The royal commission does create the opportunity to root out corruption in the union movement. Let's put this in perspective. Even after the scandals involving the HSU were public, Kathy Jackson described this scene at the 2011 HSU council meeting in Sydney:

There would have been 900 delegates … I kid you not … This is after I went to the police … (Michael) Williamson got a standing ovation … they played the Rocky theme when he walked in … there were people heckling me and screaming at me and … Marco Bolano … that I was a traitor to the movement … people were calling out 'Judas' from the crowd … this went on for … hours.

It is that level of delusion in the union movement that the royal commission will help root out so that Australian workers get representation from their union leaders that is genuine and real, and not the kind of scandalous grubbiness that we saw in the HSU.

But what is standing in the way of being able to achieve this? What is standing in the way is the Leader of the Opposition. The Leader of the Opposition is opposing the royal commission. He is opposing the Australian Building and Construction Commission being reoriented. He is opposing the Registered Organisations Commission. But, also, yesterday he refused to do what he himself did. Yesterday he apologised and withdrew for saying something was untrue in this place about Senator Ronaldson, but he will not require the same of Senator Conroy. What is good for him should be good for Senator Conroy—what is good for the goose should be good for the gander. Why can't he do it? Because he is the factions' choice, not the people's choice.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order on relevance. If direct relevance in the standing orders means anything, it means the Leader of the House is out of order.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Leader of the House and minister will resume his answer, directing it to the question.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Correct, Madam Speaker, and I am being very relevant. What is standing in the way of being able to deliver probity in the union movement is the connection, the umbilical cord, between Labor and the trade union movement. The Leader of the Opposition will not discipline Senator Conroy because he cannot. He is the factions' choice—there is the people's choice! The member for Grayndler surprised even me—

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The member will resume his seat. Manager of Opposition Business, we have already had one standing order.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Correct, Madam Speaker, but, given that on the last one you actually agreed with me, which was good, the minister is defying your ruling.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister will return to the question.

Christopher Pyne (Sturt, Liberal Party, Minister for Education) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, I am explaining the relevance. The point is that the Leader of the Opposition cannot act because he is a union official first, representing union officials. That is why he will not act against the factional boss Senator Conroy—because he is the factions' choice, not the people's choice. He is not pretty but he is the people's choice.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The minister will resume his seat. The Manager of Opposition Business is reminded that we have already had irrelevance.

Mr Tony Burke (Watson, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Finance) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Madam Speaker, the Leader of the House is continuing to defy your ruling and should be brought to order.

Mrs Bronwyn Bishop (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

There is no point of order. The minister has concluded his answer.