Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Under Labor's administration of the CFMEU, whistleblowers are saying that organised crime figures have a 'stronger position, perhaps even stronger than they had 14 or 15 months ago'.

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

Order! The member for Macarthur will leave the chamber under standing order 94(a).

The member for Macarthur then left the chamber.

Honourable members interjecting—

Order! Every time, the same thing will happen. It's that simple. The member for Goldstein will begin his question again, and he's going to be heard in silence and shown some respect.

Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations. Under Labor's administration of the CFMEU, whistleblowers are saying that organised crime figures have a 'stronger position, perhaps even stronger than they had 14 or 15 months ago'. We now know that the head of the Victorian CFMEU, Zach Smith, who is a member of the minister's National Construction Industry Forum and a member of the Labor Party National Executive, has had meetings approved by the administrator with misogynist thug John Setka. Does Mr Smith still sit with the minister as a member of the National Construction Industry Forum? If he does, will Mr Smith be advising the minister at the next meeting?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank the shadow minister for his question. His question really goes to the role that our government has been playing in making sure that we have a construction industry that is free from corruption. Of course, this did not happen under those opposite, and I might give a few examples in a minute.

What I will go to firstly is the National Construction Industry Forum, which is playing an incredibly important role in bringing unions, employers and government together on how we tackle this issue. Of course, I make no apologies for actually bringing people together to look at how we tackle these issues. I would invite the shadow minister to look at the taskforce report, which has been made public, and also look at the work that's being undertaken because—guess what? Employers and unions are united in what work needs to be done to make sure that our construction industry is as productive as possible.

I thought I might go through some of the work that has been done under this government to actually address crime and corruption in the construction industry. I draw the House's attention firstly to a number of members—

Tim Wilson (Goldstein, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Small Business) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I have a point of order on relevance My question was straightforward: will Mr Smith be advising the minister at the next meeting?

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

I know that was the question, but there was a very long preamble to that question. If it had just been that short, sharp question, the minister wouldn't be able to talk about the issues that you raised. You did a very long preamble and you went over time with the question. The minister is talking about the membership of the group that you talked about. I like to explain everything just so everyone knows. She's talking about exactly who's in the group and what is involved. I think everyone will agree she's being directly relevant. Yes, there is a part of the question that you'd like answered, but I can't compel the minister to do that. I can compel her to be directly relevant. She is being directly relevant right now. So I'll continue to listen carefully to the minister.

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Of course, our government has absolutely been committed to tackling crime and corruption in the construction industry. It was ignored for years and years by those opposite. I'll give just a few examples. Under the coalition and the ABCC's watch, Michael Greenfield, Darren Greenfield, Rita Mallia and Rob Kera were found to be involved in coercion and intimidation of a Sydney crane company. What did the ABCC do? They gave them a slap on the wrist. They are gone under this government. In Victoria, in 2013, CFMEU official Derek Christopher was found to have assaulted a building manager at a site in Melbourne. Under the ABCC and those opposite, he was given a slap on the wrist. He is gone under our government. Let's look at Michael Ravbar, who was exposed by Geoffrey Watson in his investigation, which showed that in 2020 the coalition under their failed ABCC allowed him to use standover tactics including telling a female public servant that she 'should be dragged out of here'. Under those opposite, he kept his job. Under us, he is gone. If we want to talk about who is taking action, it is our government cleaning up the industry while those opposite stood by and did nothing.

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

On a point of order, the manager?

Alex Hawke (Mitchell, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Industry and Innovation) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The minister was reading from a document of serious criminals, and we'd like to ask her to table that document for the benefit of the House.

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

Was the minister reading from confidential notes?

Amanda Rishworth (Kingston, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Yes.

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

Okay. Well, let's move on.