Senator KROGER (Victoria—Chief Opposition Whip in the Senate) (15:16): What a load of bollocks we have just heard there! In question time today, Senator Bob Carr once again sought to deflect his responsibility as Minister for Foreign Affairs—firstly when he suggested that the question in relation to corruption and upholding those standards had nothing to do with his portfolio. That clearly demonstrates what page the minister is on. In my mind, actions speak much louder than words, and no amount of the rhetorical flourishes and theatrical histrionics that we get from this foreign minister day in and day out makes a dot of difference. It does not compensate for the disgraceful cover-up that we have seen in New South Wales, and I have to say that he has not assured us of his position in relation to the abuse and the awful shenanigans that have taken place in New South Wales and that he was very much part and parcel of. The union movement are part and parcel of it, and not only have they permeated the Labor government but we know they control its agenda. In relation to the scandal and corruption that have been revealed for a long time now in New South Wales, where Labor politicians have paid and continue to pay homage to the likes of Eddie Obeid and Ian Macdonald—individuals that are and have been closely associated with the former Premier of New South Wales, now the foreign minister, Senator Carr—the senator's denials just do not stack up. My advice to the senator is simple, and that is that no-one believes you. I hate to say, though, that the incidence of behind-the-scenes corruption in New South Wales is endemic and is linked to a wider pervasive corrupt situation across the union movement across the nation. Indeed, there are a plethora of Labor politicians here in Canberra that are here by virtue of the patronage of the union movement. In my home state of Victoria—in my patron seat of Deakin, I have to say—we have another example of this invidious patronage and the activities that they have covered up with their involvement in the union movement. The case in point is Mike Symon, the member for Deakin. When he was the Labor candidate for Deakin back in 2007, Mike Symon was a field officer for an organisation called Protect, which was described as an ETU scam which ripped off employers and channelled money into secret union trust funds. Senator Carol Brown: Mr Deputy President, on a point of order: I understand there is wide latitude given in taking note debates, but I really do not see how Senator Kroger can talk about the seat of Deakin in her contribution on the answers given by Senator Bob Carr here in question time today to questions asked by Senator Fierravanti-Wells. The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Brown. Senator Kroger, I do draw your attention to the matter that we are discussing in motions to take note of answers. Senator Kroger, you have the call. Senator KROGER: Thanks, Mr Deputy President. It has direct relevance because what we were seeking is an assurance that the foreign minister was complying with the principles of the convention in how he applied that on the basis of his approach domestically, here in Australia, to the international convention and international transactions. Here is yet another example of where that compliance has been neither sought nor assured. So we have a situation where we have a senator on the other side of the chamber, Gavin Marshall, who was a trustee of the ETU trust fund that channelled money away from insurance premiums that were increased by 30 per cent into a separate trust fund that Mike Symon, the then candidate for Deakin, was the bag collector for. He was the bag collector, and that is what the Labor government have supported. These people are promoted and preselected, and they sit on the opposite side of the chamber. The Cole royal commission looked into this. They do not want to deal with this, but the Cole royal commission looked into this, and I quote from it. It said, 'Unknown to the employers who contributed to the premiums in this trust fund, a private arrangement was made whereby large sums were paid by a company to the ETU as commission.' A trustee of that was one Senator Gavin Marshall, and the debt collector there was one Mike Symon. (Time expired)