House debates

Tuesday, 22 November 2016

Questions without Notice

Building and Construction Industry

2:17 pm

Photo of Ross VastaRoss Vasta (Bonner, Liberal Party) Share this | | Hansard source

Will the Treasurer outline how a transparent and efficient construction sector supports a strong budget and a growing economy? Will the Treasurer also advise the House of the cost to hardworking Australians of widespread disruption and lawlessness on Australian building sites?

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

I thank the member for his question and his keen interest in ensuring that we remove lawlessness from the building and construction industry. Can I start by commending the Minister for Employment for the success that we have seen in the other place in the passage of the registered organisations bill, which provides groundbreaking reform to ensure that unions will face the same level of scrutiny and accountability as company directors in this country. We know that those opposite did not support those measures—

Ms Butler interjecting

Ms Chesters interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The members for Griffith and Bendigo.

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

in the same way that they continue to refuse to support the Australian Building and Construction Commission being restored. It leads me to wonder why they would be opposing these important changes—

Ms Chesters interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Bendigo is warned.

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

that will lift productivity in this country, that will support the interests of workers in this country and improve wage outcomes and jobs in this country. It is a simple issue. I was reflecting on it—and maybe we could get a show of hands. How many of those on that side of the House are members of trade unions? A show of hands—how many are there? They are all keeping their hands down. They do not want to commit to it. Show me your hands. How many of those on that side of the House have been the beneficiaries of donations from the CFMEU? Let's get a show of hands. They are all down.

Dr Chalmers interjecting

Photo of Tony SmithTony Smith (Speaker) Share this | | Hansard source

The member for Rankin.

Photo of Scott MorrisonScott Morrison (Cook, Liberal Party, Treasurer) Share this | | Hansard source

How many of those today are members of the CFMEU? No show of hands, and I particularly note the member for Griffith has kept her hands very much below the table. Just as well; I could go to the register of interests and I could see when she was asked about the membership organisation where a conflict of interest with a member's public duties could foreseeably arise or be seen to arise. Guess what it lists?

Membership of the CFMEU—that is what it says.

As a member of the Leader of the Opposition's executive and in particular as the shadow assistant minister for universities, I wonder what the member for Griffith thinks about the state of affairs at the Queensland University of Technology, where the Fair Work Commission launched the Federal Circuit Court proceedings against the CFMEU and official Michael Myles, after he allegedly disrupted two major concrete pours on the $60 million project at the Queensland University of Technology? On 8 April 2016, the Federal Court ordered penalties totalling some $50,000 against the CFMEU and Mr Myles, and Judge Jarrett found Mr Myles's conduct to be:

… a deliberate and intentional disregard of workplace laws.

That is a fellow member of the CFMEU, and the shadow minister is supposed to care about the building and construction of universities. But I note it is telling that not one of them wanted to put up their hand and declare their association with the CFMEU when they are acting as a bloc to bringing it to heel. (Time expired)