Chris Evans (WA, Australian Labor Party, Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

My answer is the same answer I have given Senator Ronaldson on numerous occasions: if people have concerns about criminal activity they ought to go straight to the police—they ought to go to the police and make their complaints and provide the police with any information they have. When the police launch an investigation, people ought to give their full cooperation and the police ought to be allowed to conduct those inquiries without political interference, Senator Brandis, and without people abandoning a lifelong commitment to the rule of law in order to get a cheap political headline. They ought to allow the police to fulfil their obligations and conduct their investigations, and when those investigations are completed we ought to then respond to any findings or any prosecutions they may lodge. We also then should of course allow people presumptions under natural justice while any trials occur.

Those are the normal processes, as Senator Ronaldson well understands. This government will adhere to those processes. We have made it very clear that we support people taking any concerns they have about criminal activity to the police or other appropriate authorities. Senator Ronaldson well knows that there are police and Fair Work Australia investigations occurring into matters relating to the HSU. He ought to allow those investigations to be pursued without political interference and without anyone attempting to take political advantage of those proceedings.