General Debate

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

Senate · Tuesday 25 March 2025

Official Hansard for this day (APH) · Read this debate on OpenAustralia

At a glance

The debate centred on a motion moved by the Coalition to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission and pass legislation to remove criminals from construction sites, following media revelations about the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union. The government opposed the motion, arguing it would disrupt scheduled business and that deregistering the union would remove regulatory oversight, thereby empowering corrupt elements. Government ministers defended the appointment of an administrator as the effective mechanism for reform, while opposition members claimed the previous administration failed to address the issue and that the current government was conflicted due to union donations. Senator Jacqui Lambie also opposed the motion, criticising the Coalition's past inaction and supporting the administrator's work. The motion was defeated.

Outcome

The motion was not passed, with 31 votes in favour and 36 against.

Summary in reported speech - not a transcript. AI-generated, so check the official record before quoting.

How the debate unfolded

Opened the debate

Michaelia Cash (WA) (Liberal Party) Liberal

Cash moved the motion to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission and pass the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Amendment (Removing Criminals from Worksites) Bill 2024. Cash argued that the CFMEU had been infiltrated by organised crime and that the government's failure to act was due to receiving $11.5 million in donations and electoral support from the union. Cash contended that the previous Coalition government had been more effective in policing the industry and that the current approach allowed criminality to flourish. Cash asserted that the Coalition was willing to work with the government to pass the legislation to protect workers and taxpayers.

Government response

Murray Watt (Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations) ALP QLD

Watt opposed the motion, characterising it as a political stunt designed to disrupt the parliamentary program, specifically the debate on workplace gender equality. Watt argued that the criminal activities exposed by media investigations had occurred while the ABCC was in place under the Coalition, indicating that the previous regulator had failed. Watt maintained that the appointment of an administrator to the CFMEU was the correct step to clean up the organisation and that deregistering the union would remove it from regulatory oversight, effectively handing control back to corrupt figures. Watt emphasised that the government was committed to cleaning up the entire construction sector, including addressing misconduct by employers.

Opposition response

Bridget McKenzie (Shadow Minister for Infrastructure, Transport and Regional Development) Nationals VIC

McKenzie argued that the government was protecting the CFMEU despite evidence of corruption and cost blowouts in infrastructure projects, citing a $5 billion increase in costs in Victoria. McKenzie claimed that the government had failed to respond adequately to inquiries about whether taxpayer funds were going to organised crime. McKenzie asserted that the involvement of the CFMEU had caused construction costs to rise significantly in Queensland, affecting projects such as the Olympics infrastructure and Bruce Highway upgrades. McKenzie called for stronger action against criminality in the industry, accusing the government of inaction.

Jenny McAllister (NSW) (Australian Labor Party) ALP oppose

McAllister opposed the motion, stating that the opposition's proposal would worsen the situation by removing the CFMEU from regulatory oversight and Fair Work Commission constraints. McAllister argued that deregistration would hand control back to corrupt individuals like John Setka, rather than solving the problem. McAllister defended the government's approach of appointing an administrator to reform the union and ensure it could effectively represent workers. McAllister also noted that the motion displaced time allocated for debating women's gender equality in the workplace.
Jacqui Lambie (TAS) (Jacqui Lambie Network) JLN oppose

Lambie opposed the motion, criticising the Coalition for failing to clean up the industry during their nine years in power despite having the ABCC. Lambie argued that deregistering the CFMEU would drive criminal elements underground, making the problem worse rather than solving it. Lambie supported the continuation of the administrator's work, stating that a multi-pronged approach involving police taskforces and jail terms for offenders was necessary. Lambie expressed frustration with the lack of progress from both major parties and emphasised the need for tangible action against criminal behaviour.
James Paterson (VIC) (Liberal Party) Liberal support

Paterson argued that the CFMEU had become a criminal enterprise run by organised crime figures rather than a legitimate union advocating for workers. Paterson claimed that the government's abolition of the ABCC had allowed the CFMEU to expand its criminal activities, leading to taxpayer funds being siphoned off and safety risks on worksites. Paterson asserted that the CFMEU was unreformable and that deregistration was necessary to allow reputable unions to represent workers. Paterson accused the government of being conflicted due to donations received from the CFMEU and blamed them for the current state of the industry.

Votes during this debate

Division 1: Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union Not passed 31–36

Opened by

Michaelia Cash (WA) (Liberal Party)

Liberal

Speeches

6 speeches, 3 other contributors

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About Senate debates

The Senate debates bills, motions, matters of public importance and the answers given in Question Time. Senators from all parties and the crossbench take part, and a minister or the minister representing them usually replies for the government. Summaries are in reported speech, not transcripts; always check the official record before quoting.