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

I thank Senator Lambie for the question because the very last part of her question allows us to see the very sad and sorry history that has bedevilled the construction sector now for decades.

It was in fact a proud union movement, and a proud Labor leader was willing to call corruption as corruption and thuggery as thuggery, and that is why Bob Hawke and the ACTU at the time were willing to move for the deregistration of the BLF. They would not countenance the good name of trade unionism being trashed by those elements.

Regrettably, those elements have re-emerged in the construction sector of the CFMEU, and that has now been shown to be the case by the Cole royal commission. It was also confirmed by Justice Wilcox when he had a review of our Australian Building and Construction Commission legislation when he said words to the effect of that he wished he did not have to recommend the ongoing use of the coercive powers which the Labor Party now seeks to deny.

We have since had the revelations of the Heydon royal commission indicating similar thuggery. Indeed we have now had arrests. And indeed the CFMEU used to run this line: 'Don't have a special body. Report these matters to the police.' Well, do you know what happened just the other day? The police actually took action and arrested somebody, and what did Mr Noonan of the CFMEU say? 'That shouldn't be a police matter; it's an industrial matter.' No matter what the circumstances, they will twist and weave. In direct answer, I think it is a toss of the coin between the BLF and the current division— (Time expired)