Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
TRANSCRIPT
Sky News Peta Credlin
Monday 15 July 2024
E&OE
Topics: CFMEU
PC: The CFMEU has been exposed. A months long investigation by the Nine newspapers has uncovered serious allegations of misconduct by the union with claims of intimidation, stand over tactics, and even underworld figures being placed in high paying jobs within the building industry, much of it being funded by you, the taxpayer. Now on Friday ahead of the stories being published, the militant union leader John Setka, abruptly resigned. Today the Victorian branch of the Union was then placed into administration with an internal investigation to take place. So the union investigating the union – who’s buying that? For more let’s bring in now the Shadow Attorney General and Minister for Workplace Relations Michaelia Cash. Thank you for your time, Senator. The Victorian branch, as I said, is now in administration. Federally, Tony Burke says he’s taking advice on the powers he has to respond to these allegations. Bob Hawke famously deregistered the BLF for the 1980s and that was the precursor to the CFMEU. Isn’t that what we need now?
MC: Oh, absolutely. And Peta, what a complete total and utter mess and all because the Australian Labor Party have run a protection racket for years and years and years of the CFMEU. I don’t know what advice Tony Burke needs to take. The power is there in the Fair Work Act for the Minister to make an application to deregister the union. Why hasn’t Tony Burke done this? But what is worse, is the weakness of our Prime Minister that is currently on display. Because quite frankly, he should have directed Tony Burke, as the relevant minister, to make the application. And Peta in relation to the union judging the union, I mean, what a complete total and utter joke. The entire union has shown it is not prepared to clean itself up. Having one part of the CFMEU judge another part is quite frankly, nothing more than an excuse. It needs to be deregistered. And Minister Burke needs to make that application today.
PC: You and I both know a lot of this behavior has been on the public record for some time. It’s not always reported in the media. And before Labor abolished the ABCC the CFMEU paid out $16 million in penalties. Without the ABCC, how do you bring them to heel? How do you fix this mess?
MC: We made it very clear to Labor if you abolish the ABCC it is going to be disastrous for the construction industry. But guess what Peta – $6.2 million is the sum over the last four years, that is since Anthony Albanese became the opposition leader, that has been given from the CFMEU straight to the Australian Labor Party coffers. So it’s little wonder that despite the warnings from the industry, despite the warnings from the Coalition, that Mr. Albanese his first act on becoming Prime Minister, was to give to Mr. Setka, the construction industry, and they abolished the Australian Building and Construction Commission. And what’s happened now? Everything the Coalition said would happen has come true. Labor money talks, they have no principles. I have a challenge though to the Prime Minister Peta. The Coalition stands ready on the first day back in August to pass the legislation to restore in full, no excuses by the Prime Minister or Mr. Burke, the Australian Building and Construction Commission. At the moment Peta, all we are seeing from Labor, from our weak Prime Minister are words. Well their words are cheap. Let’s judge them on their actions. And on day one, the coalition will work with Labor to pass the restoration of the Australian Building and Construction Commission. Let’s see what they do. I’ve said we’ll pass it.
PC: Surely given these revelations Michaelia Cash, Labor has to say it will not take donations from the CFMEU. I think I’ve got it here $4.3 million at the last election paid to Labor by this union. Surely the Prime Minister has to say no more.
MC: Worse than that Peta, it’s now $6.2 million over the time Anthony Albanese began to be the opposition leader to the Prime Minister. Worse than that, in return for the money they gave Mr. Setka what he wanted. I think though Peta they’ve got to say up front, they’re never taking another cent from the Union. But more than that, Mr. Albanese, he should announce an investigation into the source of these funds. There are now very serious allegations that this money could potentially be proceeds of crime. So in the first instance, they need to say no more donations accepted by the Australian Labor Party from the CFMEU. But secondly, there now does need to be an investigation into the source of the funds. Australians need to know are the monies that have gone from the CFMEU to the Australian Labor Party, part of the proceeds of crime. There are now incredibly serious questions that both the Prime Minister and Mr. Burke need to to answer. And quite frankly, again, is Mr. Albanese in hiding? Because he’s failing to answer any of these questions, but ultimately, who’s paying the price, Peta? Well as you and I know, it is the Australian taxpayer because they are the ones that are paying more for these infrastructure projects, the roads, the hospitals, the schools. Australians wonder why they cost so much. Well guess what? It’s because of the protection racket that the Australian Labor Party, Mr Albanese and Mr. Burke, have now for years run for the CFMEU and they are finally exposed. The Emperor, Peta, has no clothes.
PC: Well you are not wrong. Senator Cash thank you for your time.
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