Watt, Sen Murray

Senator WATT (Queensland—Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) (11:17): As Senator Wong has outlined, we will be supporting the suspension motion and the substantive motion itself. As Senator Wong pointed out, we did deny leave to move this motion because we have an interest in getting the legislation passed as quickly as possible to enable me to make a decision on whether to put the CFMEU into administration. We very much encourage both the coalition and the Greens to support the legislation and also to stop putting up delaying tactics, like the one that we're in at the moment, so we can get onto that legislation. Having said all of that, we will be supporting the motion moved by Senator Birmingham because we do think that it is a valid question. We do think it is a valid question: why are the Greens so unwilling to support legislation that would enable the CFMEU to be put into administration? I think the answer lies, probably, in a sound, and that sound is 'cha-ching'. It's the money. It's the money that the Greens so desperately want. We know, Senator Shoebridge, that you more than anyone have been running around parliament telling everyone that you're looking forward to taking money off Labor and into the Greens' pocket. We know that. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Chandler ): Order, Senator Watt. Please direct your comments through the chair. I have two Greens senators on their feet, and I'm going to give the call to Senator Waters on a point of order. Senator Waters: The point of order is: misleading the Senate. There are multiple standing orders that the minister just offended, and, as my colleague just contributed, you're the ones that have been taking the money, not us. So how very dare you make those baseless allegations? Retract them now. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Waters; I don't think that was a point of order. What was your point of order? Senator Waters: Personal reflections and falsity. Senator McKim: The second of those is absolutely a point of order. Senator Watt interjecting— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Watt. I'm about to rule on the point of order. I was listening carefully. I don't think there was a reflection in there. But, Senator Watt, particularly given that you were directing your comments down the other end of the chamber, I would ask that you be careful in your language and direct your comments through the chair. Senator Waters? Senator Waters: I would like the minister to retract the last sentence, which will be on the Hansard, which I heard. Perhaps you didn't hear it—there was a lot of noise—but it was a clear and inaccurate reflection on Senator Shoebridge, and it needs to be retracted. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Waters. For the ease of the chamber, Senator Watt, would you like to withdraw? Senator WATT: I withdraw the comment. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you. You have the call. Senator WATT: Senator Shoebridge, in his contribution, claimed that the Greens party always opposes violence—except from the CFMEU. He made the claim that the Greens party always opposes misogyny—except from the CFMEU. There's always that 'but' and that exception. Honourable senators interjecting— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! Senator WATT: You really don't like the truth, do you? The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Watt! Senator Waters, on a point of order? Senator Waters: He's alleging that the senator said something that he did not say. I understand the attack points, but you can't mislead the chamber. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Senator Waters, that's not a point of order. This is a very lively debate. Senator Watt, I've already reminded you once to direct your comments through the chair, please continue to do so. Senator Whish-Wilson, on a point of order? Senator Whish-Wilson: The point of order Senator Waters was making was that the senator is misleading the chamber with his comment. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you for that, Senator Whish-Wilson. I have asked Senator Watt to be very mindful and careful of his comments and to direct them through the chair. Senator Waters: It's got to be accurate! Senator Wong: You really are hypocritical, Larissa. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! I'm not going to ask Senator Watt to keep speaking until there is silence in the chamber. Honourable senators interjecting— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Watt, you have the call. Please direct your comments through the chair. Senator WATT: The preciousness of the Greens—they are the party that makes their name running around bagging other people, usually Labor, but the minute they're held to account for their own actions the bleating, the points of order and the complaints come loud and clear. There's a very easy way for the Greens to demonstrate that they do oppose violence in the workplace: they could vote for our bill. There's a very easy way that they can demonstrate that they oppose misogyny in the workplace: they can vote for our bill. But they don't want to do that, and why is that? They want the money that comes from it. The Greens say they have offered amendments. We have pointed out to them that we have provided workable solutions to each point that they have made, and it's still never enough. Honourable senators interjecting— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order! Senator Watt, please sit down. I can't hear what Senator Watt is saying, and he has a very loud and clear-cutting voice, as many in this chamber would be aware. I would like to hear Senator Watt in silence. Senator Wong interjecting— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Order, Senator Wong! Senator Watt, you have the call. Senator WATT: I do thank the Greens for drawing lots more attention to this debate about the concern that they're going to take donations from the CFMEU. Thank you for drawing attention to this. Senator Birmingham made the point that in the entire debate about this bill, which is now into its third day I think, we haven't heard a single Greens speaker, up until now, debate this bill. They keep pushing and pushing themselves down the list, desperately hoping that they won't have to reveal their position. It would be nice to hear from the Greens as to why they don't actually support this bill, but, instead, they've spent the best part of three days curling up into a little ball, hoping that this argument can avoid them and hoping that they don't have to take a position. Well, I'm sorry, but you're going to have to take a position. You're going to have to take a position on whether you're prepared to support the government to clean up the CFMEU once and for all, to stamp down and stamp out violence, thuggery, corruption and criminality in the workplace that, unfortunately, have infiltrated a very strong and important union in Australia and that need to be dealt with. You do have to take a stand, and that time will come when we do get to a vote on this bill, as I hope that we will be doing, coalition, sooner rather than later. As I say, the only reason the Greens can possibly be opposing the legislation that we're putting forward is that they are desperate to carve off donations to prop up their campaigns. I'm not going to disclose the negotiations that have been underway with the Greens about this legislation, but I did notice an article in one of today's papers saying that the Greens have admitted that their concern about our legislation is: … the fact the whole union would be put into administration rather than just the branches subject to criminal or corruption claims. That's come from a Greens representative in today's papers. That's the reason they don't want to support it. They don't want the Queensland branch put into administration. Why would that be? Could that be because they have three seats in Brisbane that they want to prop up with CFMEU donations? Could that be why you don't want the Queensland branch put into administration? The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Direct your comments through the chair, Senator Watt. Senator WATT: Is the reason that you don't want the South Australian, Tasmanian, WA or ACT branches put into administration that you'd quite like donations from those states as well? Is it anything to do with that at all? We know that our bill is going to be putting the entire CFMEU construction division into administration as is required to clean up this union, to clean up this branch and to make sure that it actually returns its focus to the best interest of its members, which is what a union should be about. So far, the people who are the least enthusiastic about doing that are the Greens party of Australia. I move: That the motion be put. The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Chandler ): The question before the chair is that the motion be put.