Pauline Hanson (Queensland, Pauline Hanson's One Nation Party) Share this | Hansard source

As Senator Cameron would recall, One Nation supported his fair work amendment bill in 2017 to protect take-home pay and penalty rates for Australian workers. It would appear that the Labor Party either has a short memory of my support and the support of all One Nation senators or these are disgraceful untruths designed to discredit One Nation because we're having a huge impact on your vote in blue-collar regions like Capricornia, Maranoa, Herbert and other electorates across the country. The hypocrisy of Labor is laughable, when you say Labor is protecting Aussie jobs and weekend penalty rates. The Labor Party happily undermined Australian workers less than a month ago by supporting the Trans-Pacific Partnership, or TPP-11. This free trade agreement has given away at least 5,000 Australian jobs to countries like Mexico, whose workers are prepared to slave their guts out for $6.07 a day. Under the TPP-11, passed by Labor and the coalition, you gave away Australian jobs to Vietnamese workers who don't mind working for $2.70 a day in their home country. Honestly, Labor sicken me with their hypocrisy and cock-and-bull stories about being a party for the workers. I'm sorry, but you've never been a party for the workers. These days the Labor Party are about themselves.

What credibility Labor had left as a party went up in smoke last month when they all voted in favour of the TPP-11 free trade agreement. Let me read you a little excerpt from a letter I just received yesterday from the national secretary of the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union, Michael O'Connor. I think the Deputy President and my Senate colleagues know who I'm referring to here. He's not only the big boss of the CFMEU but also the brother of Labor's shadow minister for employment and workplace relations, Brendan O'Connor. Listen to what the CFMEU national secretary says to me in his letter. It's very kind. I almost blushed when I first read it. For the sake of our snowflake Labor members, I'm giving you a trigger warning just in case you want to block your ears. Here we go. Just remember these are words from Michael O'Connor, the national secretary of the CFMEU: 'Dear Senator, I write to you to firstly acknowledge your efforts and thank you for the principled position that you took by voting against the enabling legislation for the Trans-Pacific Partnership agreement, TPP-11. The TPP was and is bad for workers and bad for the country.' This is Michael O'Connor writing to me. The CFMEU national secretary then says: 'The A Fair Go for Australians in Trade Bill 2018 is due to, in no small part, One Nation's great work.' Isn't it lovely of the CFMEU's national secretary to write to little old me, Pauline Hanson?

I can't believe the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union is telling me One Nation is the best friend workers have in Australia—not Labor. What a kick in the guts to Labor. How do you feel? You sold out the CFMEU and their members, for what? I'll say it again: One Nation is officially the best friend to workers, and I've got it in writing from the biggest union in this country. The CFMEU says, 'One Nation takes a principled stand on jobs in this country.' That sounds to me like the national secretary of the CFMEU is saying, 'Labor don't have principles, but One Nation does.'

Already Mark Latham has joined One Nation as state leader ahead of the New South Wales state elections. Labor better get used to more One Nation members being elected across every state in this country. We are, as the CFMEU say, principled. I welcome anyone who shares my support of Australian jobs to join me as we fight the two failed parties who continue to sell out workers in this country.