Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. On Saturday, the CFMEU announced that it would expand operations in New South Wales. The New South Wales CFMEU boss, Michael Crosby, said:

We are looking at large multiple complex residential construction … [The move] may push up costs …

Given they are supposed to be in administration and have been shown to increase the cost of construction by up to 30 per cent, will the government intervene to stop this CFMEU expansion?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Bragg for his question. I note that he is one of those on that side who does, I think, still support net zero. He's not joining in Senator Cash's, Senator Canavan's and Mr Joyce's campaign to undermine their leader, which is, I have to say, quite an extraordinary sight to watch.

But, Senator Bragg, I will come to your question.

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

It's only a minor detour, to be fair. I was not aware, Senator, and I will get further information of the details of everything that you have outlined. Obviously, we had AUKMIN over the weekend, and I was engaged primarily on other matters.

James Paterson (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for the Public Service) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

We're 45 seconds in.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Because I never know how to answer anything, Senator—that's right! I would say to you, Senator Bragg—and I'll see if I can get some further information specifically on New South Wales—as you would know, we have made our position in relation to the CFMEU clear. You will recall that the government has put in place an administration and administrator in relation to the CFMEU. You would be aware that the government has been very clear about our view in relation to the CFMEU, and we will continue to work to ensure that the sort of corruption and misconduct and alleged corruption and misconduct that have been both found and asserted are stamped out. As I have said on multiple occasions, we are a labour movement. We know the benefit of trade unions for working people, and we also know that organised crime has no place inside the trade union movement.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bragg, first supplementary?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Treasury says that the government won't hit the Labor Party's target of 1.2 million new houses by the end of the decade. Perhaps as part of the advice you are seeking, Minister, you can include this question: can the government guarantee that the CFMEU's latest efforts won't push up construction costs around the country and push housing completion figures even lower?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I think we all know that one of the primary drivers of housing prices going up is a lack of supply, which is why the government has—both in the context of the election and in our first term—invested in a very large set of housing policies which deal with both demand and supply. I would make the point, Senator Bragg, that you and others were amongst those who prevented and held up some of those key supply measures during the last term, and you now complain about housing supply and prices. I would also make the point about prices that we don't believe that the answer to housing shortages is (a) simply cutting wages or (b) implementing the sort of policy that you came to the election with, which was super for housing, which would have driven up housing prices by more than $90,000 in capital cities.

Sue Lines (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Senator Bragg, second supplementary?

Andrew Bragg (NSW, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Housing and Homelessness) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The government's efforts to put the CFMEU into administration appear to have failed. Will your government now consider supporting the coalition's Housing Investment Probity Bill, which would ban CFMEU involvement in all Housing Australia Future Fund projects?

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I reject the proposition that Senator Bragg puts. He makes an assertion about the government's actions in relation to the CFMEU, and I again say in this place that we have taken the strongest possible action by placing the CFMEU into administration. That is the fact. We've taken the strongest possible action in placing the CFMEU in administration. The administrator, I understand, has already terminated a number of officials involved in some of the behaviour that was reported, and the reported behaviour was unacceptable. The administrator is placing—

Michaelia Cash (WA, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

They're expanding into residential construction.

Penny Wong (SA, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Foreign Affairs) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Well, I know you don't want to listen to this, Senator Cash, but we are actually doing the work of putting that union into administration in order to clean it up, because that is the right thing to do for working people and for the economy. (Time expired)