Gary Hardgrave (Moreton, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I hear the word ‘extorted’. That may be a bit harsh but in some sectors it could be right because of the thuggish way in which some of these people operate. I am very indebted to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations for the work that he has done in highlighting Dean ‘expletive’ Mighell—that radical, foulmouthed Victorian face of the Electrical Trades Union. We heard a tape of his address to members of his union where he boasted about coercing employers into pay rises. Maybe there is a sense of extortion. We have also heard his description of the Australian Building and Construction Commission—a commission which has got the builders of Australia working and the building projects of Australia delivered far faster, on time and more in line with expected costs, which is unlike the way it used to be. Robert Gottliebsen told the Australian on 10 July:

... in many cities union rorts and bad work practices were adding more than 40 per cent to the cost of commercial building.

That is the sort of unfair feather bedding to costs that you only ever see from people like the Queensland Department of Public Works. As a result, we have a very real threat to the lifestyle, job security and economic prosperity of this country.

Those opposite are very comforted by the fact that they will soon be joined by some of the acolytes of the trade union movement. I think it was the member for Blair who was correct in saying that more union bosses than ever before are set to enter the federal parliament at the next election through safe Labor seats or Senate spots. They have forced people out. They are going to join people like the member for Batman, the member for Throsby, who I see is here, and the member for Hotham, who are former leaders of the Australian Council of Trade Unions.

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