House debates Questions without Notice
National Asbestos Awareness Week
Sharon Grierson Newcastle, Australian Labor Party
3:23 pm
My question is to the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency and Minister for Industry and Innovation. As the minister knows, we are in the middle of National Asbestos Awareness Week. What is the government doing to help Australian industry deal with the challenge of asbestos? Is this consistent with the government's past record on asbestos? And have there been any other approaches to this?
Greg Combet Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
I thank my colleague the member for Newcastle for the question, because working with industry to clean up asbestos has been a feature of the work of the government, the trade union movement and the Labor Party for many years. In particular, on this side of the chamber we stand up and fight for the rights of victims of asbestos diseases. One of the things that I am most proud of from my time in the trade union movement was the achievement of a multibillion-dollar compensation fund for victims of James Hardie. In that dispute—
Mr Pyne interjecting—
I have noted what you have said.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The Manager of Opposition Business will withdraw.
Christopher Pyne Sturt, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Education, Apprenticeships and Training
I withdraw.
Greg Combet Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
I withdraw. I am very proud that, in that dispute with James Hardie, the law firm in which the Prime Minister was once a partner, Slater and Gordon, which has been the subject of some discussion in recent times, acted as my legal advisers. In fact, that firm and many other labour law firms have worked very hard over numerous years to fight for compensation for asbestos victims.
On the other side of the chamber, the deputy opposition leader of course acted for a company against victims, to oppose their compensation. She acted for a company that had this to say in 1977: 'Even if the workers die like flies, they will never be able to pin anything on CSR.' That is who you acted for.
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I was at university in 1977 and was not working as a lawyer anywhere.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The Deputy Leader of the Opposition will resume her seat. The minister has the call.
Greg Combet Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
Well, there has been a lot said about the morality and the conduct of lawyers in acting on behalf of their clients; where is the morality in that—to represent a company with that sort of view, that workers are going to die like flies? On asbestos, we know where we stand. And we know where you stand.
Teresa Gambaro Brisbane, Liberal Party, Shadow Parliamentary Secretary for Citizenship and Settlement
Who's embarrassed now?
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
The member for Brisbane as she leaves the chamber under standing order 94(a).
The member for Brisbane then left the chamber.
Greg Combet Charlton, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency
I think it is noteworthy that, when we were conducting, in the labour movement, the campaign to achieve justice for asbestos victims of James Hardie, I received, as leader of the trade union movement, a lot of support from Labor governments. I did not have one call or one iota of assistance from the Howard government or its then health minister, Tony Abbott—not one iota of assistance. We know where we are on this position. The only thing that the Leader of the Opposition has contributed to this, that is of memory to anyone, is an insult to Bernie Banton. A kick in the guts to a dying man it was. A kick in the guts to a dying man—that is your contribution to this issue. This government has a very proud record of standing up, cleaning up asbestos and fighting on behalf of victims, and we will not be lectured to by the Deputy Leader of the Opposition about ethics and morality, or you, hiding behind her.
Honourable members interjecting—
Ms Julie Bishop Curtin, Liberal Party, Deputy Leader of the Opposition
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
I am on my feet, Deputy Leader of the Opposition. I understand you want the call, but when I am on my feet—
John Forrest Mallee, National Party
Madam Speaker, I rise on a point of order. I have raised this point of order consistently before: standing order 65. It would help the process of the House immensely if you could enforce that standing order, that members should address their remarks through the chair. That 'you' across the chamber, especially with a pointed finger, does nothing to improve the behaviour of the House.
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
I thank the member for Mallee, and I would completely agree that I, obviously, had nothing to do with any of those issues, and that is the point: the questions actually go through the chair.
Julia Gillard Lalor, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister
I ask that further questions be placed on the Notice Paper. We have extended the time of question time to ensure the opposition has had the usual number of questions, notwithstanding the intervention in debate by the member for Kennedy. So, as to the opposition, the miserable failure has had the usual amount of time—
Ms Anna Burke Deputy-Speaker
Order! The member for North Sydney will leave the chamber under standing order 94(a).
The member for North Sydney then left the chamber.