Ian Macdonald (Queensland, Liberal Party) Share this | Hansard source

I don't know, and that is why I am exercising my right in this committee stage to ask the minister. Minister, can you assist me. Do you have any information that might answer my query? Do the Greens get money donations from the CFMEU or any other trade union? That can be the only reason why the Greens are so opposed to this.

I know why the Labor Party is opposed. I can understand that. They are all here because the unions put them here. They only stay here for as long as the unions give them the tick to stay here. Senator Cameron, who is in the chamber, will know this well. His good mate George Campbell fell out of favour with the unions, and as a result of that Senator Cameron was able to come in. It was nothing Senator Cameron did; it was the unions that did it. So I understand the Labor Party as clearly as a bell. I am not in any doubt as to what that is all about. But I cannot understand the Greens, unless there is an element of monetary donation to the Greens political party. I know the Greens got the biggest corporate donation in the history of Australian politics—$1.6 million from a single businessman. It was the biggest donation ever. I understand that. That is why there were certain funny arrangements made in Tasmania a few years ago, including an attempt to have tax free status for a certain newspaper that was associated with, perhaps, the donor. But that is all past history. I understand that, but I cannot understand why the Greens are so opposed to this particular bill, unless there is a simple explanation. That might be it; it might not be. I am just wondering whether the minister can help me on that.