Michael Keenan (Stirling, Liberal Party, Minister for Justice) Share this | Hansard source

The real question is: why does the CFMEU still have so much influence over the Australian Labor Party? Why does John Setka still vote at the Australian Labor Party's national conference? Why does this Leader of the Opposition sit there in the face of all this evidence and do absolutely nothing? The answer is that this Leader of the Opposition is completely owned by this guy. He is completely owned by this guy. The CFMEU is the most powerful organisation within the Victorian Labor Party machine. Just last month we saw a senior Labor source briefing The Australian:

… the CFMEU has taken over the branch and everyone is too scared to do anything about it.

Over the last decade, the CFMEU has donated $8.7 million to the Australian Labor Party. The Leader of the Opposition's leadership is dependent on the factional alliance that he has with the CFMEU. What will it take for this Leader of the Opposition to actually do something to stop the CFMEU from influencing his political party? What will it take for him to stop taking their money? How much evidence of lawlessness, how many crimes committed, will it take for you to take action? (Time expired)

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

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