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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2022-11-03 Daily Xml
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Question Time

Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS (Black—Leader of the Opposition) (14:03): My question is to the Premier. Does the Premier know whether any local construction businesses have experienced intimidation and pressure on their subcontractors from the CFMEU? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. D.J. SPEIRS: It was reported over the last week that the CFMEU is escalating its campaign against local subcontractors to boycott construction firms who will not sign up to CFMEU demands. This reflects feedback provided by businesses to the opposition.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS (Croydon—Premier) (14:03): No, I am not aware of those details. What I can say definitively is that this government is committed very much so to having appropriate and sensible industrial relations in the state of South Australia. I acknowledge that we have a very different point of view, both practically and ideologically, from the opposition. On this side of the house, we believe the union movement has a very, very important role to play in industrial relations in the state of South Australia.

We believe unequivocally in the importance and the power and the necessity of a free and democratic trade union movement in this country and that working people deserve to have professional organisations advocating in their interests, no different from businesses who are entitled to professional advocacy on behalf of their interests. That is why, across—

The Hon. D.G. Pisoni interjecting:

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: I can't hear the interjection from the member for Unley.

The SPEAKER: Neither can I. Member for Unley, you are called to order.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: But I dare say I wish I could have heard it because they are always insightful.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Florey!

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: On this side of the house, because we do have that firm view that both workers and businesses are entitled to professional advocacy, we are willing to engage with industry associations, like the Master Builders Association, as much as we are to engage with the trade union movement. Where we see instances of, let's take for instance, trade union officials acting beyond the scope of their remit, acting in such a way that does not accord with professionalism, we are more than happy to stand up against it and call it out. I have demonstrated a willingness to do that not just since being Premier but, quite frankly, throughout the entirety of my time within the labour movement.

What I am also familiar with is the fact that the Treasurer of South Australia only a couple of days ago was very, very proud to report that construction industry jobs in South Australia are at the highest level they have ever been. That is something that we are very, very proud of. This is a government that has a very good working relationship with the Master Builders Association of South Australia. We also value the role of the HIA. Both the MBA and HIA will of course have occasions where they disagree with government policy, and we welcome that criticism. We are not a government that has a bunch of glass jaws sitting along the front bench. We are—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Hartley, order! The Treasurer is called to order.

The Hon. P.B. MALINAUSKAS: This is a government that welcomes thoughtful critique of policy, and we are willing to engage on that basis, from both the MBA and the HIA. We see both of those organisations willing to engage pragmatically. I am also on the record saying repeatedly that what we have appreciated with the MBA in particular is that they are an organisation that when they acknowledge a problem they are also willing to proffer a potential solution to the government as well.

We value those relationships. We will continue to value them going forward. But I will say this: while we are more than willing to acknowledge inappropriate behaviour that may occur in the trade union movement or elsewhere, it is also true we are unapologetic about our connections to the trade union movement and always will be.

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order! The leader has the call.

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