QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE

Senator WONG (South Australia—Minister for Foreign Affairs and Leader of the Government in the Senate) (14:12): I missed a couple of parts of the question, but I say to Senator Hume: thank you for your intervention in looking to the national interest more recently in terms of the US visit. In relation to the CFMEU, I would make the point that the government has a long record of taking action on the CFMEU.

As I said, the Prime Minister led the expulsion of Mr Setka from the Labor Party. We passed the administration bill in 2024. We placed the general division and its branches under administration for up to five years.

We appointed Mr Irving KC as an administrator. He has taken a range of steps, including the removal or accepting the resignations of more than 60 staff, the development of a national code of conduct and statement of expectations and policies related to enterprise agreements, gifts, organised crime and menacing behaviour, and, as I said, establishing several inquiries into state branches of the CFMEU.

The scheme gives the administrator significant powers, and he and his team are working around the clock to stamp out corruption and clean up the union, including by removing corrupt individuals. I think there was a reference to the minister for workplace relations, who is doing a fantastic job. She has been part of—and I will also acknowledge the previous minister—defending the High Court case taken by the CFMEU which attempted to render our legislation invalid.

We have also seen the administrator refer the AFP to set up Operation Rye to investigate criminality and corruption in the construction industry, and I can go on. Senator Ruston: On a point of order on direct relevance, President, the question was quite clearly: does the minister continue to support the CFMEU administrator? It's a simple yes or no.

The PRESIDENT: Thank you, Senator Ruston. The minister is being relevant. The question also referenced the 60 Minutes report.

Senator WONG: There was quite a lot, if I may say, in the question, and I would make the point that the minister is the minister responsible for the portfolio, and she is doing an excellent job. She has expressed her views about the administrator, and the government is very clear about the intention to continue— (Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator Hume, first supplementary?