Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party, Minister for Employment) Share this | Hansard source

My attention in recent times has been drawn to a CFMEU press release from October 2013. It reads:

Real men don't abuse women.

In it, CFMEU official Dave Noonan is quoted as saying:

… more of us need to speak out and stop the silence around this issue

Unfortunately, Mr Noonan does not apply this standard to his own male comrades. Last year, when one of his officials, Luke Collier, hurled four letter words of abuse at a female inspector, what did Mr Noonan do? Did he speak out and stop the silence around the issue? No, he did the exact opposite. He issued a press release saying that swearing on building sites is nothing new.

That is the level to which the CFMEU has sunk. I say to Dave Noonan: I agree, real men do not abuse women. I also say to Mr Noonan that real men do not defend men who abuse women.