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

I can inform Senator McGrath that on 1 May the Federal Court yet again found that the CFMEU had brazenly broken the law by trying to pressure Hazell Bros Group to sign an enterprise agreement. When Hazel Bros asked about the consequences if they refused to sign, a CFMEU official said things were 'going to get ugly', together with a string of expletives for good measure. When the company refused to sign, the CFMEU blockaded the site. Hazel Bros representatives reminded the union that they needed a right of entry permit, to which a CFMEU official retorted, 'We don't have to comply with the act.' Police were required to attend the site. FWBC inspectors also attended the site and Justice Tracey found that the inspectors were treated with disdain and subjected to uncouth remarks as they went about their work. This is not surprising given that this is the same CFMEU whose recent newsletter said of inspectors—and I quote from that document: 'The leeches get treated with the contempt they deserve whenever they slither onto a job.' These are Commonwealth public servants. Justice Tracey rightly condemned 'the CFMEU's sense of entitlement to pursue its objectives by any means, lawfully or unlawfully'. He also said its conduct bespeaks a deplorable attitude to its legal obligations. What makes this more disgraceful is that this is the union that has donated $6.4 million to the Labor Party since 2007 and, when this union's conduct comes under question, Mr Shorten rolls in Labor frontbenchers to try to defend the CFMEU. (Time expired)