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

I thank Senator Edwards for his question. In November of last year, the Federal Court found the CFMEU and eleven officials had contravened right-of-entry and coercion provisions on building sites in South Australia. On each occasion, the union officials refused to produce their right-of-entry permits and to comply with right-of-entry law. Instead, they forced their way onto the site and behaved in an improper manner. In particular, CFMEU organiser Mark Gava entered the Flinders University site and demanded that a CFMEU flag be moved to a crane hook. When the occupier refused, Gava replied, 'If you don't do it, we will stop the job'. Another CFMEU organiser also said, 'If you don't put it up there, we'll bring back 10 brothers tomorrow and stop the job.' Gava forced his way onto a TAFE site with other organisers and stated, 'We'll be doing whatever we want.'

While waiting for a meeting with workers to commence at the Adelaide Oval site, CFMEU organiser Darren Roberts was discussing not having provided notice of entry and stated, 'This is the new way of the world,' and, 'Right of entry is a farce.' Mr Roberts became aggressive towards the site manager at the Adelaide Oval site and at one point said, 'I just want to smash someone now.'

Yet again these are examples from a list that clearly shows a pattern of behaviour and the entrenched culture of industrial unlawfulness in the CFMEU on building and construction sites in Australia. It is very clear that the current system is not stopping this type of behaviour and must be changed.