❓ Mrs Edwardes questions Premier Gallop about CFMEU donations to the Labor Party and their potential influence on industrial relations reforms. Gallop denies any strings attached to donations and defends the government's balanced approach.
AnsweredQoN 579Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
UNIONS, CFMEU DONATION TO ALP
I have a supplementary question. Can the Premier confirm that the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union donated approximately $200 000 to the Labor Party before the 2001 state election and a subsequent $100 000 on the understanding that Labor would introduce its industrial relations reforms in its first parliamentary session? Dr GALLOP
I have a supplementary question. Can the Premier confirm that the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union donated approximately $200 000 to the Labor Party before the 2001 state election and a subsequent $100 000 on the understanding that Labor would introduce its industrial relations reforms in its first parliamentary session? Dr GALLOP
AnswerView source ↗
I am not aware of the amount of money donated by one of the unions because that is not a matter in which I have a role. If people give money to the Labor Party, no strings are attached. Several members interjected. Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Dr GALLOP replied: I am not aware of the amount of money donated by one of the unions because that is not a matter in which I have a role. If people give money to the Labor Party, no strings are attached. Several members interjected. Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
I am not aware of the amount of money donated by one of the unions because that is not a matter in which I have a role. If people give money to the Labor Party, no strings are attached. Several members interjected. Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Several members interjected. Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Dr GALLOP replied: I am not aware of the amount of money donated by one of the unions because that is not a matter in which I have a role. If people give money to the Labor Party, no strings are attached. Several members interjected. Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
I am not aware of the amount of money donated by one of the unions because that is not a matter in which I have a role. If people give money to the Labor Party, no strings are attached. Several members interjected. Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Several members interjected. Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Mr Barnett: Dance, puppets. Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
Dr GALLOP: The Leader of the Opposition can say what he likes. It is amazing; some unions are criticising the Labor Party on some matters, yet the Opposition is calling it a tool of the unions. That is ridiculous. This Government will not support the interests of one side against the interests of another. We will take the middle road on these matters. That means we will be criticised by the unions and the employers. That is what government and real leadership are all about. That is why a Government is in Western Australia today that represents the public interests rather than individual interests, as was the case under the previous Government when certain businesses were given the right to exploit workers. The Labor Government will introduce a system that will prevent that from occurring again.
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