Karen McNamara (Dobell, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Education representing the Minister for Employment. I remind the minister that the former Labor member for Dobell and head of the Health Services Union appears in the Magistrates Court today to make submissions on sentencing for stealing the union dues of health workers. How will the government protect members of a registered organisation like the Health Services Union?

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

I can confirm that the former member for Dobell is in the Magistrates Court today making submissions on sentencing for stealing union members' funds. He was found guilty of stealing $24,000 from the members of the Health Services Union, amongst the lowest paid workers in Australia. Unfortunately, that was not the only scandal involving the Health Services Union. The former federal president of the Australian Labor Party, Michael Williamson, was also found guilty of defrauding the members of the Health Services Union of their funds.

The government's response has been to introduce a bill to establish a registered organisations commission to protect workers rather than to protect dodgy union bosses. On this side of the House, the coalition is the friend of the workers. We want to protect workers. On that side of the House, the Labor Party wants to protect dodgy union bosses. Can I also add that the opposition's response to this attempt to protect workers has been to block the registered organisations commissions bill in the Senate. Rather than recognising the failures in the past of their policies that led to Craig Thomson stealing money from the Health Services Union workers, or Michael Williamson stealing money, when we made an attempt to fix it, their response has been to block it in the Senate. I should also report to the House that startlingly today the former member for Dobell offered to pay back the $24,000 that he was found guilty of stealing from members of the Health Services Union—

Mr Conroy interjecting—

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

The member for Charlton will remove himself under standing order 94(a).

The member for Charlton then left the chamber.

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

showing up the Leader of the Opposition and the Labor Party because amazingly, while the former member for Dobell, the disgraced Craig Thomson, offered to pay back $24,000 of Health Services Union workers' dues, Labor has refused to pay back the $267,000 that they used to help the former member for Dobell—

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. I draw attention to your previous ruling that party administration matters are not appropriate for question time.

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

I am not aware that we are talking about party matters. We are talking about a registered organisation.

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

For the elucidation of the Manager of Opposition Business, the question was about the establishment of the Registered Organisations Commission. In order to explain why it is important, one needs to explain the context, which is that the former member for Dobell has offered to pay back $24,000 today and that $267,000 of Health Services Union members' money was used to elect him in 2007 as a Labor member of parliament.

Mr Mitchell interjecting—

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

The member for McEwen will either desist or will remove himself.

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

Labor held on to his votes for six years in government. If the Leader of the Opposition had any decency, if he could rise above his background, if he could be Bob Hawke rather than small Bill Shorten, he would be pay back that $267,000 of Health Services Union members' money.

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. There is no way in the world someone on this of the chamber would get away with speaking like that at the dispatch box.

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

I think the Manager of Opposition Business has a short memory. The minister has finished.

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

Madam Speaker, in case it was unclear, I am asking the member to withdraw unparliamentary language.

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

Which was?

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

No, Madam Speaker. I am not going to play a game where you can make me say in the microphone what should never have been said in the parliament.

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

Madam Speaker, I was referring to his politically small persona rather than to any other persona, but if it assists the House, I withdraw the word 'small'.

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

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

If the member for Lingiari wishes to leave, he is getting a very good hearing. If I can simply say, there is no way in the world that the word 'short' can be unparliamentary. If anybody is saying there are no insults that are traded across this floor, they really have very short memories. So the Manager of Opposition Business is going to tell me about it, is he?

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

I am going to raise the point of order under the standing order 86, as I am entitled to.

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

Please do.

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 was not referring to members by their title.

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

Well, he must do that. You are quite right—he must.

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

In addition to everything else, he was not doing that and simply to have the ridicule from the chair is unwise.

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

That sounds remarkably like a threat to the Chair, to me. Would you like to the withdraw that?

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

I withdraw.

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

Thank you.