John Alexander (Bennelong, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Immigration and Border Protection. Will the minister update the House on action the government is taking to ensure the safe passage of holiday-makers and Christmas cargo over the Christmas period? Is the minister aware of anyone planning to stall the country's Christmas cargo, or Santa, his reindeer and his many helpers, and ruin the festive period for many Australians?

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member very much for his question. I was not aware he was going to include all of that in his preamble! He is going to attend, I understand, the Rotary carols at North Ryde Common, which is the second largest carols event in Sydney, expecting 15,000 attendees. So, well done, Member for Bennelong. He is a great local member.

As every Australian knows, over Christmas there will be 3½ million border crossings and over three million cargo consignments. It is a very busy period for the Australian Border Force staff, and they do great work on a daily basis to keep our country safe. But there is a problem, because I understand that, even though there is going to be an increase of Border staff to cope with the increased numbers, particularly at international airports, the CPSU, who are no friend of families this Christmas, are planning on industrial action to target cargo and freight, including ports, airfreight terminals and international mail centres.

Opposition Members:

Opposition members interjecting—

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We hear the objections from the sea of union bosses opposite, because they are here as puppets of the union bosses around the country—

Opposition members interjecting—

which again gets another rise. The fact is we have seen examples of union leaders putting their hands into the pockets of Australians before. In the past, Craig Thomson was one such example, where he used credit cards and the fees—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

Tony Smith (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I remind the member for Gorton he has been warned.

Peter Dutton (Dickson, Liberal Party, Minister for Immigration and Border Protection) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

that had been paid by good, hardworking union members. But there is a new approach by the CPSU this Christmas. Not only are they saying to Australians, 'You are going to have a delay in receiving your Christmas packages,' but they are asking for this to be paid for by crowdfunding so that their members can be back-paid for stopping the free passage of cargo. This is a unique approach, but we expect it from the CPSU. Imagine asking Australians to crowdfund union activity that is going to stop Christmas presents flowing across the country. It shows how out of touch the CPSU is with the Australian public. It shows how out of touch the current Labor Party is with the Australian public, and it demonstrates how, this Christmas, the CPSU and the union leaders across this country will once again do the wrong thing by the Australian public.