Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

Despite the royal commission interim report finding a culture of wilful defiance of the law, which appears to lie at the core of the CFMEU, reinforced by the evidence revealed this week, it seems to me that those opposite do not even flinch in support for their major donor, the CFMEU. They are much more interested in accepting millions of dollars in tainted CFMEU donations than they are in protecting genuine whistleblowers and ensuring lawfulness within an industry that needs urgent attention.

Since 2007 the records indicate that the CFMEU has donated more than $6 million to the Australian Labor Party and $200,000 to the Greens political party. If the Labor Party and the Greens were serious about the rule of law, about the rights of workers and about safe and fair workplaces, then they would support the reintroduction of the Australian building and construction commission, and they would immediately stop accepting funds from the tainted, militant CFMEU. (Time expired)