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 Newsday with Kieran Gilbert
12 August 2024
TOPICS: CFMEU, ABCC
E&OE
Kieran Gilbert
Welcome back to the program. Joining me live in the studio is the Shadow Attorney-General, Michaelia Cash and Shadow Employment Minister. The government’s just introduced legislation to impose an administrator on the CFMEU. Will you vote for it?
Senator Cash
Well this legislation will require very careful scrutiny. I was briefed on it this morning and I’ve come away with significant concerns. In the first instance, it is nothing more and nothing less than a temporary political fix to this problem. Why? Because there is a drop dead end date of three years. Worse than that, individuals can only be banned for up to five years. These people are very good at waiting government out. But I think the most offensive part of the legislation, which shows that Labor is bought by the CFMEU, lock, stock and barrel, is the fact that Murray Watt as Minister has given himself a blank check. It’s up to Murray Watt, when the administration ends, he can end it before the three years. It’s up to Murray Watt which parts of the union stay in administration and don’t. It’s up to Murray Watt what actually goes into the deed of administration. There is no transparency Kieran.
Kieran Gilbert
So what amendments are you going to going to move?
Senator Cash
Oh, we’ve got to go through this very, very carefully. I was only briefed this morning, but in the first instance, what about transparency to the Parliament and the Australian people? Why is there not a requirement for the administrator to report to the Parliament for example, every 12 weeks?
Kieran Gilbert
But are you keen to be constructive on this and say – okay, I’m moving this amendment, this amendment? We want to get this through?
Senator Cash
We will put forward some very serious amendments. As I said, this actually does also need to go to a committee. It is that seriously flawed at this point in time, it will need to go to a committee. It will need to be looked at and serious amendments considered. It is up to the government as to whether or not it supports the amendments. But look the broader point is this. This is a government bought lock, stock and barrel by the CFMEU. Why in God’s name, will the Australian people think it is acceptable for one of the CFMEU’s biggest cheerleaders in Murray Watt, who celebrated the trashing of the ABCC, to actually give himself a blank cheque.
Kieran Gilbert
On the three years though for the administrator, isn’t three years enough to clean it up?
Senator Cash
Organised crime Kieran. Organised crime. No, it is not. Absolutely not.
Kieran Gilbert
But it’s also the police and other agencies that will be looking for criminal behavior?
Senator Cash
This behavior has been going on for a lot longer than three years. And as I said in any event, Murray Watt has given himself the ability to bring the administration to an end. And get this, you got to love a good Labor line – no recourse to the Parliament. It is a non-disallowable instrument. So that is incredibly dangerous.
Kieran Gilbert
So as a very basic starting point, you want transparency to the Parliament?
Senator Cash
Absolutely.
Kieran Gilbert
The administrator reporting back every three months.
Senator Cash
Absolutely.
Kieran Gilbert
As a starting point.
Senator Cash
This needs to be open for all Australians to see. But more than that, what about the members of the CFMEU who have not been treated properly by this union? Where is the transparency? And in particular in relation to the funds? It’s all about the money. And I can tell you, it’s got nothing to do with the money in the legislation that Minister Watt has brought forward
Kieran Gilbert
You would accept that there’s an urgency to get this administrator in. I know that you want the building watchdog back. That’s not going to happen under the government. Murray Watt reiterated that yesterday, but given the urgency around an administrator. Again, you will vote for this if you can get a compromise on amendments?
Senator Cash
Kieran, we need to go through our normal party room process as would Labor. The legislation is also retrospective and we need to have a good look at why it commences on the 17th of July, as opposed to when Mr. Setka himself announced his resignation. But as I said, serious concerns. This is just pushing pause on what has become a political issue. The Minister is giving himself a blank cheque, a Minister who’s part of the government who accepted millions of dollars in funding. I mean the Australian people quite frankly are being treated like mugs and in particular those in the construction industry by this government.
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