❓ Ms. Mettam questions the Premier's stance on the CFMEU, alleging misconduct. The Premier defends his position, accusing Mettam of union-bashing and highlighting her party's past issues.
AnsweredQoN 549Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY,
MINING AND ENERGY UNION (WA)
549. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
How can the Premier possibly defend the attributes of these individuals and
when will the Premier admit the reason he has not cracked down on them —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. METTAM : When will the
Premier admit that we are not talking about boy scouts?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please! When you are all quiet, I will give the Premier the call.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Two or three
ministers are interjecting. Otherwise, you would have had the call by now.
MINING AND ENERGY UNION (WA)
549. Ms L. METTAM to the Premier:
I have a supplementary question.
How can the Premier possibly defend the attributes of these individuals and
when will the Premier admit the reason he has not cracked down on them —
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. METTAM : When will the
Premier admit that we are not talking about boy scouts?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please! When you are all quiet, I will give the Premier the call.
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Two or three
ministers are interjecting. Otherwise, you would have had the call by now.
AnswerView source ↗
I want to correct the record for
the member. I specifically said, ''They are no boy scouts,'' That
is the saying. Be that as it may—honestly!—from time to time I have
been shocked by the behaviour of certain members of the Liberal Party in
Parliament. We all recall a notorious member of Parliament who did unspeakable
things in this place—unspeakable things in this place—over many
years and that person was not brought to account.
Ms R. Saffioti : And the
party was not put into administration.
Mr R.H. COOK : And the party
was not put into administration. The member should be careful when throwing
stones from her glass bungalow in relation to these things. We have seen some
behaviours from her side that have chilled me to the bone as well, but no-one
put her organisation into administration.
I do not know what the member has
against unions and union members. If she wants to look at the profile of an
average union member in Australia, they are more likely to be a woman working
in a white-collar industry or the human services industry. That is the dominant
profile of a union member in this country. For some reason, the member is
obsessing —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. Mettam : Organised
criminals.
The SPEAKER : Order, member!
I do not know if it is your plan to get everyone to interject back at you or
what the issue is, but I would like the Premier to conclude his answer.
Mr R.H. COOK : I think in that last interjection the
member has laid bare what is really going on here. This is just an exercise in
union bashing, hoping that by throwing as much mud and unsubstantiated
allegations as possible, some of it will stick.
I am not here to defend the CFMEU; it is doing a great job of
that itself. If anyone has allegations of misconduct or illegal practice, they
should bring them to the authority's attention and let the cards fall
where they may. If the WA branch of the CFMEU is put into administration or
some other instrument is used that indicates that the authorities are moving in
that direction, I will act, and I will act without hesitation. Until that
happens, we will continue to allow that union to undertake the activities that
it does in defence of its members.
the member. I specifically said, ''They are no boy scouts,'' That
is the saying. Be that as it may—honestly!—from time to time I have
been shocked by the behaviour of certain members of the Liberal Party in
Parliament. We all recall a notorious member of Parliament who did unspeakable
things in this place—unspeakable things in this place—over many
years and that person was not brought to account.
Ms R. Saffioti : And the
party was not put into administration.
Mr R.H. COOK : And the party
was not put into administration. The member should be careful when throwing
stones from her glass bungalow in relation to these things. We have seen some
behaviours from her side that have chilled me to the bone as well, but no-one
put her organisation into administration.
I do not know what the member has
against unions and union members. If she wants to look at the profile of an
average union member in Australia, they are more likely to be a woman working
in a white-collar industry or the human services industry. That is the dominant
profile of a union member in this country. For some reason, the member is
obsessing —
Ms L. Mettam interjected.
The SPEAKER : Order, please!
Ms L. Mettam : Organised
criminals.
The SPEAKER : Order, member!
I do not know if it is your plan to get everyone to interject back at you or
what the issue is, but I would like the Premier to conclude his answer.
Mr R.H. COOK : I think in that last interjection the
member has laid bare what is really going on here. This is just an exercise in
union bashing, hoping that by throwing as much mud and unsubstantiated
allegations as possible, some of it will stick.
I am not here to defend the CFMEU; it is doing a great job of
that itself. If anyone has allegations of misconduct or illegal practice, they
should bring them to the authority's attention and let the cards fall
where they may. If the WA branch of the CFMEU is put into administration or
some other instrument is used that indicates that the authorities are moving in
that direction, I will act, and I will act without hesitation. Until that
happens, we will continue to allow that union to undertake the activities that
it does in defence of its members.
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