Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Prime Minister. I refer to reports that the construction watchdog investigated Mr Luke Gibson, who allegedly told a female work safety officer, 'Go call the police; off you go, you effing dog', followed by the C-word. By dissolving the construction watchdog, why is the Prime Minister prioritising what the CFMMEU wants over what women on worksites need?

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

I thank the member for her question. At a time when we had an inflation figure yesterday of 6.1 per cent, we have serious economic challenges before us. We've had an economic statement given by the Treasurer before this parliament today. And we're back here again. Let me repeat: people, whether they're employees or employers, should behave appropriately on every worksite, and every worker should behave properly. I note that yesterday—

Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Women) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr Speaker, I rise on a point of order entirely on relevance. The issue is not whether the behaviour is unacceptable—of course it is. We all know that. The issue is why the priority is getting rid of the construction watchdog, a tough cop on the beat to address that behaviour.

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

There is no point of order. The Prime Minister is referring to the behaviour in his answer. I'm listening carefully.

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

It's wrong in any workplace. I've heard people sworn at in this place too. I've heard people behave badly in this workplace too. And it shouldn't happen. People should behave well in every workplace. But I'm asked about the issue of women in workplaces, and I'll tell you what the government is doing. We're adopting all 55 recommendations of the Jenkins Report—all 55, including the obligation on employers, including those in the construction industry, to provide safe workplaces for women. That is what we are doing, and by providing those provisions that we will put into law, employers will have an obligation to provide safe workplaces for women, and that will affect the behaviour of everyone in those workplaces. That is what we are doing.

The other thing we are doing is making gender pay equity an objective of the Fair Work Act. That is something that those opposite would never have done, and we'll wait to see whether they support it or not. Today, of all days, I would have thought that if you were going to ask a question about domestic violence—which is what the first question today was about—or about the position of women in workplaces, you might have asked a question about, or indeed endorsed, the legislation that was introduced just this morning for 10 days of paid domestic and family violence leave. It took the election of a Labor government to do that.

We think that all workplaces should be safe workplaces. We're legislating to do just that, and the approach of those opposite says more about them than anything else.