QUESTIONS WITHOUT NOTICE
Senator McCARTHY (Northern Territory—Minister for Indigenous Australians) (14:38): We've said on the record here in the Senate and in the House that we are the party of government who took very strong action in regard to the CFMEU. We know— Senator McKenzie: What did Catherine King do? Senator McCARTHY: No, this is important.
The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, you asked your question. Senator McCARTHY: Everyone deserves to be safe and have their rights respected on building sites. We came out very strongly in regard to that.
We are the government who brought this in. Senator McKenzie: You should watch 60 Minutes! The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, stop the interjections.
Senator McCARTHY: Senator McKenzie, you asked a question. We are the government and we are the party that moved to make it safer on worksites, and we know that the decision by our prime minister to do that has enabled that to occur across the country. Senator McKenzie interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, you have asked your question.
Your role now is to listen in silence, not to make running commentary. Senator McCARTHY: This side have form. They do have form in wanting to forget the fact that they had nothing to do with wanting to— Senator McKenzie: You have form in cover-ups!
The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, I have personally asked you not to interject and you've completely disrespected me by continuing to do so. As I have said before, if you can't listen in silence, leave the chamber. Senator McCARTHY: As I said, this side have form.
They have form in doing nothing—nothing! They come into this Senate, and they pick up— Senator McKenzie: I have a point of order on relevance, Madam President. The minister has gone nowhere near the claims made on 60 Minutes—nothing to do with the action and behaviour of the CFMEU on Victorian worksites, and I would ask you to draw the minister to the question.
The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, you asked about government action. The minister is being relevant, and I will continue to listen to her response. Senator McCARTHY: I remind the coalition that, in doing nothing, you allowed crime to increase at phenomenal rates, and you come in here and you pose this question as though you have a real concern for those workers.
Honourable senators interjecting— The PRESIDENT: Order! Order across the chamber! Senator McCARTHY: So you come in here posing this as though you have real concern for questions around workers, workers' rights, workers feeling safe and workers having a future.
No, you are not that party. So do not come in here and put that question as to what we have done. What did you not do when you were in government in regard to keeping it safe for workers on those building sites?
(Time expired) The PRESIDENT: Senator McKenzie, first supplementary?