Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The () (): I move:

That the Senate:

(a) notes that:

  (i) the Fair Work Commission found Ms Kimberley Kitching provided untruthful and unreliable evidence in Health Services Union-Victoria No. 1 Branch [2015] FWC 3359, and it also found her conduct strikes at the heart of the integrity of the right of entry permit system, and

  (ii) this decision was upheld on appeal by three members; and

(b) calls on anyone appearing before the Fair Work Commission to provide reliable and truthful evidence.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Minister for the Centenary of ANZAC) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Abetz really should know better: general business is not the forum for personal attacks on fellow senators. It is disappointing that an experienced senator like Senator Abetz should resort to these tactics. As the saying goes, people in glass houses should not throw stones. It would be remarkably easy for our side to flood the Notice Paper with serious questions regarding senators on the other side of the table. This government and its ranks could provide unlimited fodder if we chose to launch personal attacks. I am sure that Senator Sinodinos, Senator Abetz and others could think of plenty such attacks. What I would like to do instead is to say that anyone appearing before the Fair Work Commission should and would provide reliable and truthful evidence. In her first speech in this place Senator Kitching outlined her commitment to represent—(Time expired)

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a one-minute statement.

Sue Lines (WA, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Eric Abetz (Tasmania, Liberal Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

This motion in no way is a personal attack. It is a statement of fact that the Fair Work Commission—indeed four separate commissioners—found that the person that Mr Shorten parachuted into this place had provided untruthful and unreliable evidence to the Fair Work Commission. All this motion does is to call on anyone appearing before the Fair Work Commission to provide reliable and truthful evidence. I would have thought that should have been a unity ticket for all of us. The fact that it is not from the point of view of the Australian Labor Party tells us everything we need to know as to why they are so vehemently opposed to the Registered Organisations Commission bill. The thought of somebody actually giving truthful and reliable evidence is abhorrent to the Labor Party. That is why we moved—(Time expired)

Gavin Marshall (Victoria, Deputy-President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion moved by Senator Abetz be agreed to.