Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

My question is to the Minister representing the Prime Minister, Senator Wong. Media reports confirm that labour hire firms linked to Victoria's Big Build, which the Commonwealth is funding, have continued to pay criminal underworld figure Mr Mick Gatto for access to worksites. This has occurred under the CFMEU administration that Labor said would fix the rot. What steps has the government taken to determine whether any of these companies were working on Commonwealth funded projects?

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

I thank Senator Hume for the question and for the opportunity to again state that the government does not tolerate corruption, criminality or violence in any part of the construction industry and make the point that the government has taken concrete action to clean up the industry, where the coalition and its ABCC completely failed. I would note that we have taken strong action not only in this sector but more generally in relation to the CFMEU. We have made clear that we will not tolerate, under any circumstances, as I said, corruption, criminality and violence in any part of the construction industry. I think you asked some specific questions about contracts, and, if I can obtain further information on that, I will provide it to the Senate.

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

Senator Hume, first supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

Can the minister guarantee that no company receiving Commonwealth funded contracts has been required, either directly or indirectly, to make payments to organised crime figures or their associates in order to access worksites or continue operating on federally funded projects?

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

First, I think the conduct suggested would be illegal, and I've made our response more broadly to that. I understand that the Minister for Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government has written to the states in relation to these issues, and I will see if I can obtain that information, but I think that's in the public arena.

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

Senator Hume, second supplementary?

Jane Hume (Victoria, Liberal Party, Shadow Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations) | Link to this | Hansard source

One owner of a big build subcontractor said:

If you don't pay Gatto, you don't get access to the Big Build. Through Gatto, and through the union, they control who goes onto the project and who doesn't get access to the project.

Minister, why is convicted criminal and underworld figure Mr Mick Gatto still making money from taxpayer funded construction projects in spite of your decision to appoint an administrator to the CFMEU?

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

I might have missed the first part of that question, but, if you are quoting a criminal, that's a matter for you. That's the first point.

The second point is that my recollection is that it is as a result of the action that the administrator has taken, after the decisions that the government has made, that—

Hon. Senators:

Honourable senators interjecting—

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

Order!

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

Shall I start again? My recollection is that Mr Gatto is facing charges as a consequence of action taken by the administrator that this government appointed. I also am advised that Minister King has made our expectations extremely clear with state and territory governments: crime and corruption within the construction industry cannot and will not be tolerated. We have introduced provisions into federal funding agreements to make sure we have strong governance and accountability mechanisms in place on projects that are being funded.