Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News with Kieran Gilbert
2 August 2024
TOPICS: CFMEU, ABCC, ASIO, anti-semitism
E&OE
Kieran Gilbert
Joining us live from Perth is the Shadow Attorney-General Michaelia Cash, Shadow Employment Minister. Thanks for your time as always, the CFMEU apparently the Fair Work Commission is struggling to get all the information it needs to put that union into administration. If legislation is required, will you back the government in pursuing that?
Senator Cash
Well again, a total failure by the Albanese government to take any form of real action in relation to the CFMEU. They have palmed this issue off to the bureaucrats, you’ve got to be kidding me Kieran. And we have made our position very, very clear. On the 12th of August when the Parliament returns Mr. Albanese can bring in the legislation to deregister the CFMEU and it will be backed by Peter Dutton and the Coalition. But at the same time what you need to do is ensure that there is a tough cop on the beat. You do that by restoring in total the Australian Building and Construction Commission. Again, that can be done on the 12th of August. Mr. Albanese needs to be judged by his actions and not his words. This is a man, who is very happy to talk tough at a press conference. But when you actually look at the actions that they have taken in relation to the CFMEU, you don’t get a better friend than Mr. Albanese. And the people he is letting down ultimately, the Australian people. Mum and Dad Australians who will continue to pay around 30% more for their roads, for their hospitals and for their schools. Because Mr. Albanese backs the CFMEU every step of the way.
Kieran Gilbert
A return of the Building and Construction Commission, which looks very unlikely and instead want the Fair Work Commission to do this. And if it requires legislation, will you support it?
Senator Cash
Again, why palm it off to bureaucrats when there is the ability for Mr. Albanese on the 12th of August to bring in the legislation. Quite frankly cut out the middleman, show some leadership and deregister the CFMEU. We have said that we will back the Australian Labor Party in relation to that. So in around 12 days time, we can put in place the legislation that is required to deregister the CFMEU. But at the same time that is not enough Kieren, you can’t just deregister the union, you also need to ensure you reinstate a tough regulator. And that tough regulator is of course the Australian Building and Construction Commission. So on the 12th of August, let’s look for some real leadership from Mr Albanese, is he going to put his words into action? Those actions, the legislation required to deregister the CFMEU and the restoration of the tough cop on the beat, the Australian Building and Construction Commission. Yes, they will be backed by the Coalition, the 12th of August.
Kieran Gilbert
But you won’t, you won’t back the other measures if needed?
Senator Cash
Hold on. We can actually bypass all of the other measures as I said, and do this on the 12th of August. The legislation to deregister and the legislation to bring back in the tough cop on the beat. That’s what the industry wants. That is what is required. That is what the Coalition will back. Absolutely but the ball is now in Mr Albanese is court. Is he just going to stand up press conference after press conference and say a whole lot of words? Or is he actually going to do what a true leader would do? Bring in the legislation on the 12th of August and deregister the CFMEU and restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission? We’ve got 12 days let’s wait and see.
Kieran Gilbert
Okay yeah, well as you said I don’t like the chances of a Building and Construction Commission being reinstated but we will talk no doubt over that period. I want to ask you about a few other things, ASIO shift back into Attorney-General’s, is that a good call to be back alongside the Federal Police?
Senator Cash
Well, in the first instance, what I would say is Labor were against us every step of the way, when we put in place a strong and powerful agency to oversee national security. So the changes that they have made, all they do is realise their long held goal of dismantling this strong and powerful agency. But if you look at the more practical reality of the change, what you are saying is the Attorney-General gets to do his homework and then the Attorney-General also gets to mark his own homework. And I don’t think Australians would actually accept that as a good way of doing business. The person who collects the evidence should not be the person who issues the warrant. So no, I don’t think that this is the right move. But more than that, I think it goes to the true ideology of the Albanese government, which has been as I said that long held goal to dismantle the strong and powerful agency that we put in place that clearly sent a message to Australians, but also to the international community that a Coalition government, we absolutely took national security seriously. And I think that this is a retrograde step by the Albanese government, but it’s also an ideological one that they are just fulfilling.
Kieran Gilbert
I’ve seen a report this morning by Anthony Galloway and Finn McHugh on Capital Brief that there’s been a review done of the intelligence agencies and that there is going to be an overhaul essentially to make our spy agencies fit for purpose when it comes to the explosion of open source intelligence and AI. Is that good to hear? Are you welcome. Are you reassured by the fact that our intelligence agencies are going to remain fit for purpose?
Senator Cash
Absolutely, we would always want our intelligence agencies to remain fit for purpose. And that is why in particular when Peter Dutton was the relevant Minister we made such a huge investment in particular in cyber security. But again, despite these announcements, despite the words of the Albanese government, you always need to look at their actions and their actions in making those changes to the Home Affairs portfolio indicate they are not committed to a strong and powerful agency to oversee national security. More than that, in promoting Tony Burke, to in particular, two big portfolios, immigration given his previous record as the Immigration Minister. I mean, it just shows you their priorities are not in keeping Australia and Australians safe.
Kieran Gilbert
A quick one before you go concerning, development out of this case about what appears to be antisemitism really in an Officeworks and it happened in in Melbourne, a Jewish man refused basically service by a staff member in an Officeworks. What’s your what’s your reaction to that?
Senator Cash
Kieren, having seen the footage, all Australians should be utterly horrified at what was possibly one of the clearest cases of antisemitism this country has ever seen. What an ugly incident, but I have to say what horrifies me more Kieran is the response from Officeworks and its parent company in Wesfarmers. Basically, the tone is set from the top and the response from Officeworks and Wesfarmers has been quite frankly, is that a complete, total and utter failure. They have not been taking the situation seriously. But what is worse, it happened a number of weeks ago in fact a number of months ago, they have had time to issue a clear statement on behalf of these companies that they do not in any way tolerate antisemitism and they are taking clear action as a company. So I have to say, I am so disappointed in Officeworks – we will go to Officeworks Kieren, we all go there. I am so disappointed in Office works but more than that, I am disappointed in their parent company. Leadership begins at the top. I wish they would issue a very clear statement in relation to what is a blatant case of antisemitism.
Kieran Gilbert
Yeah, fair enough Michaelia Cash. Thank you appreciate it.
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