Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. Is the Prime Minister aware that senior judges of the Federal Court have described the CFMEU's workplace behaviour as 'notorious' and 'an embarrassment to the trade union movement' and as displaying 'outrageous disregard' for 'Australian industrial norms'? Given the Prime Minister's decision to abolish the dedicated construction industry watchdog, would this simply make a bad situation worse and increase the cost of new schools and hospitals?

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the member for her question. I'm asked about the Federal Court, the CFMEU and the ABCC. This is what the Federal Court did in 2017 that I'm aware of: it blasted the ABCC for wasting time and taxpayers' money on prosecuting two CFMMEU officials for—to quote from the Federal Court decision—'having a cup of tea with a mate'. This is what Justice North of the Federal Court described it as: 'a miniscule, insignificant affair'. And then Justice North said this: 'This is all external forces that are beating up what's just a really ordinary situation that amounts to virtually nothing.' That's the Federal Court's ruling in the decision. And then this Federal Court justice, Justice North, said this: 'For goodness sake, I don't know what this inspectorate is doing.' And he went on to say this.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! Is the Manager of Opposition Business seeking the call? I will give you the call.

Paul Fletcher (Bradfield, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Government Services and the Digital Economy) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The point of order is on relevance, Mr Speaker. It was a very tightly worded question on CFMEU workplace behaviour described as 'notorious' and 'an embarrassment to the trade union movement', and the Prime Minister needs to engage with the terms of the question.

Milton Dick (Speaker) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Order! The manager will resume his seat. There is no point of order. The question was specific regarding: was the Prime Minister aware of senior judges in the Federal Court? The Prime Minister is referring to that matter with his answer, so there is no point of order.

Anthony Albanese (Grayndler, Australian Labor Party, Prime Minister) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's just extraordinary. I can't be more specific. Justice North went on to say this: that when the ABCC 'use public resources to bring the bar down to this level, it really calls into question the exercise of the discretion to proceed'. That is what they had to say at that time. The Federal Court has also dismissed the ABCC for its prosecutions, labelling them 'unnecessarily inflammatory' and 'conducted as a blood sport'. That's what the Federal Court have had to say about these actions that the member raised, and I thank her very much for her question.