Legislative Council - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-08-27 Daily Xml

Contents

CFMEU

The Hon. C. BONAROS (14:49): Supplementary: does the Attorney agree with the unilateral and wholesale termination of workers across Australia in the absence of procedural fairness and in the absence of any substantiated claims or charges and does he know about the secret deal that was televised on TV on Sunday night and has been spoken about since in the lead-up to that bill that resulted in the CFMEU turning against the ALP?

The PRESIDENT: I struggle to hear any reference that the Attorney made, the Hon. Ms Bonaros; however, it looks like the Attorney is very keen to provide an answer so I will give you that leniency.

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (Minister for Aboriginal Affairs, Attorney-General, Minister for Industrial Relations and Public Sector) (14:50): I am always keen to be as helpful as I can to members in this chamber as a general rule. In relation to the second part of the question, I have no idea about any deal or anything that the member is talking about. In relation to the first part of the question, we in South Australian Labor fully support the action—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —that is being taken federally. I think anyone who saw the allegations that were aired in the media and saw some of the footage would have been horrified and shocked and there is no place—no place—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —for the sort of behaviour that was aired—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —in the modern union movement. Workers in the construction industry deserve much better in terms of—

Members interjecting:

The PRESIDENT: Order!

The Hon. K.J. MAHER: —representation than what we have seen in recent media reports.