Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is it that when the Commonwealth Bank reports a record half-year profit—

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

Members on my right will cease interjecting. The Deputy Prime Minister will cease interjecting. I am trying to listen to the question. The member for Gorton will begin again.

Brendan O'Connor (Gorton, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Why is it that when the Commonwealth Bank reports a record half-year profit of $4.9 billion he wants to cut company tax, and when there is a record low wages growth he wants to give workers a pay cut?

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the honourable member for his question. The honourable member, I am sure, would recall very clearly the numerous occasions on which he has said how important it is to defend the independent umpire and the decisions of the Fair Work Commission, and how he railed against the policy of the Greens, echoed by his leader, the member for Maribyrnong. They railed against the Greens for suggesting that parliament could interfere with decisions of the Fair Work Commission. Having a long and distinguished career in the union movement, the honourable member would often say what a fundamental issue and principle it was for the Labor Party to defend the independent umpire in setting wages and conditions. But not any longer, because now—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

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

The member for Gorton has already been warned, I remind him.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

in line with the new ideological leader of the labour movement, Sally McManus, the law should be followed by unions only when it suits them. So, the law is optional for trade unions, apparently. The CFMEU has always had that approach. And we brought them back, under the rule of law, with the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission, and we will bring out all of those shonky payments, all of those secret payments, some of which have been listed here and many of which went to the Australian Workers' Union—mysterious payments about which the Leader of the Opposition is so proud. And that distinguished advocate the member for Isaacs has said—speaking, I am sure, for all of the members opposite—how proud they all are about the advocacy and leadership by the Leader of the Opposition in the Australian Workers' Union, which involved the union receiving payments from one employer after another but never bothering to tell the members about it.

I wonder why that was? Why were those payments hidden? Was it because they did not want to trouble the equanimity of the members of the union? I do not think so. I think is was because they knew there was something wrong. People who have nothing to hide do not hide anything. What the Leader of the Opposition did, what the union bosses did, was set out to hide those payments. They hid them from view.

An opposition member: You're obsessed!

Oh, I am obsessed, am I?

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

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

The member for Gorton.

Malcolm Turnbull (Wentworth, Liberal Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We are obsessed about the law. We are obsessed about obeying the law. We are obsessed about integrity. We are obsessed about ensuring that the members of the unions you claim to represent are represented honestly and fairly and with the respect and the diligence they deserve, and you have failed them.

Mr Snowdon interjecting—

Mr Brendan O'Connor interjecting—

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

The member for Lingiari is warned. The member for Gorton has been warned twice. I warned him, he acknowledged it and he immediately interjected. So, he is immediately ejected.

The member for Gorton then left the chamber.

Mr Rob Mitchell interjecting—

The member for McEwen can join him.

The member for McEwen then left the chamber.