Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for Sport) Share this | Hansard source

Thank you to the member for Flynn, representing the fabulous Western Queensland. I have had an opportunity already to list some of the health and aged care services that have been delayed, thanks to union stand-over tactics on building construction sites, and I can add a few more to the list today: the Richmond Epworth Hospital, the Geelong Hospital, Sandringham's Mercy Hospital and the St John of God Hospital in Geelong. That is why we need the ABCC restored, so that future sites of important health services and aged care residential facilities are not delayed. And every time I hear of patients or older Australians being unable to take advantage of new buildings because of the stand-over tactics of this Labor Party's union movement, I know that they are failing to take action where they need to.

We need the ABCC. Who do you trust to maintain law and order on these sites? Certainly not the Labor Party. Will the Leader of the Opposition control his CFMEU backers when they hold up these hospital building sites? No. This is the Leader of the Opposition who had the captain's pick of Kimberley Kitching into the Senate. Her disgraceful conduct at the Health Services Union is a matter of both comedy and legend.

During Kimberley Kitching's two years as general manager of HSU branch No. 1 in Victoria, the cash balances went backwards by $3.2 million. Where did it all go? She used the funds of vulnerable workers in the Health Services Union to try to get into parliament for two unsuccessful preselection campaigns. She was alright in the end—the Leader of the Opposition rode to the rescue. But the most egregious thing she did was to sit the online right of entry tests for at least four people. So she misrepresented people. She was referred to the Director of Public Prosecutions for impersonating someone to gain right of entry. The people who gain right of entry at building sites are supposed to have safety and concern for the workers front and central. She came into the office and said, 'Did another one; got 100 per cent again.'

A government member: Bragged about it.

She bragged about it.

Ms Chesters interjecting—

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