Kate Lundy (ACT, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for Sport and Recreation) Share this | Hansard source

My question is to Senator Campbell, the Minister representing the Minister for Defence. Can the minister confirm that Defence personnel have been asked to volunteer for extra duties at overtime rates in order to escort cleaners while they do their job? Hasn’t this request been necessary because the new Defence cleaning contractor, Serco Sodexho, isn’t able to attract or retain enough qualified and security-cleared cleaners to clean Defence facilities around the nation? I ask the minister: is this problem a direct result of government pressure that the contractor employ its staff on Australian workplace agreements? Why has the government allowed its ideological obsession to lead to the ridiculous situation where Australian Defence Force personnel are being required, at great expense, to supervise cleaners?