Page 10 - ETU Journal Autumn 2017

poLITIcS > SENATORS WHO OPPOSE THE ABCC
in tHeir Own wOrds crOssbencH senatOrs
tHe abcc
‘The Law Council of Australia got it right. The ABCC is very bad
legislation — which undermines some basic civil rights and freedoms. I will not vote for legislation which allows public servants to put Australian citizens in jail because those citizens wish to exercise their right to silence.
‘More corruption occurs in banking, finance, insurance and government departments than in the civil construction industry. If you want
to treat Australians equally with the same rule of law for all, then there must be a Commonwealth anti- corruption body — a federal ICAC which can target all corruption.’
senatOr JacqUi Lambie
“I am deeply concerned this forms part of a broader strategy to weaken the unions, leaving a second-term Coalition government well-placed to introduce Workchoices- like reforms.”
‘If the government were to put up legislation aimed at stamping out
corruption and criminal conduct across the board I’d sign up tomorrow, but I continue to have serious reservations about the ABCC Bill in its current form.
‘When constituents approach me complaining of corruption, unfair practices and unconscionable conduct, their complaints inevitably relate to their treatment at the hands of banks, financial planners, lawyers, accountants, valuers, doctors, builders, major supermarket chains or government departments. Not once
has a constituent approached me to complain that they were ripped off by their union, yet this seems to be the government’s exclusive focus.
‘While I am all for stamping out illegal activities wherever they occur, the government’s approach has more than a whiff of ideology about it.
‘It is not just a happy coincidence for the coalition that Heydon’s
report appeared at the beginning
of an election year. This gives it ammunition to firstly pressure the Senate to pass anti-union laws it previously rejected, and secondly,
to fight an election campaign on this issue against an opponent it hopes will be sullied through its association with the union movement.
‘Nor is it coincidence that the timing of this report coincided
with the release of the productivity commission’s Workplace Relations Framework report, which recommends the abolition of Sunday penalty rates, among other things.
I am deeply concerned this forms part of a broader strategy to weaken the unions, leaving a second-term Coalition government well-placed to introduce Workchoices-like reforms.’
‘As I have already stated, I will only support the ABCC bill if Malcolm amends it to include corruption across all industries, including banking, finance and politics.
‘That banking sector is one of Australia’s biggest industries and is constantly on the front page of papers for corruption. Mums and dads are losing money and their life savings every day at the hands of corrupt advisers and rogue bankers. Why won’t Malcolm admit he needs to
do the right thing and broaden the ABCC bill to deal with corruption everywhere?’ n
senatOr JOHn madigan
senatOr gLenn LazarUs
tHE Etu > AutuMn 2016
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