Jamie Briggs (Mayo, Liberal Party, Chairman of the Scrutiny of Government Waste Committee) Share this | Hansard source

I thank you for your protection, Mr Deputy Speaker. I might need a fair bit of it during this contribution. It is a terrific opportunity to speak on this very important bill, and I say 'very important' because in the bill's original iteration it explained to the House and to the Australian public just where this government is at. This is a government leading into an election where they have obviously got some challenges. It seems that through this bill in this parliament, talking directly to the bill, they are trying to provide some circumstances to protect some of their friends into the future by ensuring that the unions have protections for future operations. It is all part of the same entity. Labor members opposite largely, proudly—and I will say that for the member for Wakefield—have a long service in the union movement. I am not sure about the Assistant Treasurer. I think the Assistant Treasurer was a tax lawyer at Mallesons. I am not sure there was a union involvement anywhere. It was not Mallesons. I correct the record. But I do not think he has a union background. We may need to check this and he can correct me if I am wrong.

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