Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Minister for Women) Share this | Hansard source

ran an orchestrated series of unlawful blockades against a Sydney concrete pumping firm, in 2015. One of the union officials accused of participating in this orchestrated action is union organiser Luke Collier, who worked for the CFMEU in Queensland, New South Wales and Western Australia, and, as was revealed at Senate estimates recently, is serving a three-month jail sentence for assault. I also note that Brian Parker has been referred to authorities by the Heydon royal commission, for civil and criminal contraventions. The alleged unlawful action occurred at the Barangaroo project site and at a second site at Harold Park in Sydney. The Fair Work Building Commission alleges that the dispute arose when a concrete pumping firm rejected the CFMEU's EBA proposal, as it was entitled to do.

Since the Australian Building and Construction Commission was abolished, the findings of dozens of court cases illustrate that history was quick to repeat itself and the flagrant disregard of industrial law is as common as ever. The long list of unsavoury actions includes physical and verbal violence, threats, intimidation, abuse of rights of entry permits, secondary boycotts, breaches of fiduciary duty and contempt of court. When the laws are not strong enough to act as a deterrent something needs to be done.

Honourable senators interjecting—