Today in Parliament, Abigail roasted the NSW Liberal Party for their shameless and outdated attacks on the CFMEU, opposing their disgraceful motion.
Abigail said:
On behalf of The Greens I condemn the shameful practices of the Liberal Party when it comes to its approach to the union movement. The dark and terrible days of the Australian Building and Construction Commission—the political attack dog of the Liberal Party that waged war against the democratically elected leadership of the unions in this country—are happily behind us. But the New South Wales Liberal Party is still fighting the same old tragic wars. In fact, the Liberal Party is going to single-handedly solve the housing crisis with the number of union officials they have living rent free in their heads. Perhaps we should not be surprised. The Liberal Party is stuck so far in the past with its ideologies and ideas.
I implore the mover of the motion to please read something that is not Hayek, and to come back to the real world. Sure, the argument is a bit messy, but it is rhetoric. I find it astonishing that there has been such uproar surrounding the threat of a work to rule campaign in relation to Victorian AFL stadiums. How this has warranted national attention, earned the rebukes of the Prime Minister and now led to attempts to draw the Premier into the fray is genuinely baffling. It is wholly inappropriate for politicians to attempt to interfere in the operations of trade unions and the way they seek to advocate for their members. I hope that one day the Liberal Party will come to see the folly of its ideological fixation in opposition to working people in this country. But I will not hold my breath.
I draw attention to the absurd image that is invoked every time the Liberal Party seeks to characterise union leaders and members as "union thugs". The Australian union movement is a diverse movement that reflects our society. The average union member in 2024 is a 45-year-old nurse. In fact, 54 per cent of union members across Australia are women. Union women have always been, and will always continue to be, a force that propels our organised labour movement forward, making stronger unions and a better, fairer and more equal society. These are the people the Liberal Party disparages every time it tries to conjure scary images of union thuggery. It is backwards, it is archaic and it is embarrassing. There is a reason that the Liberal Party has been turfed out across this country. It is because working people are sick of the disparagement, the intimidation and the abuse. It is time for the Liberal Party to grow up, or it will remain confined to the ash heap of history. I move:
That the question be amended as follows:
(1)Omit paragraph (1) and insert instead:
(1)That this House notes Prime Minister Anthony Albanese's condemnation of the conduct of CFMEU Construction and General boss John Setka regarding his threats against the Australian Football League.
(2)Insert after paragraph (3):
(4)That this House congratulates the members of the CFMEU Victoria for securing a 20 per cent pay increase and improved conditions for workers.