Fair Work Amendment (Disqualified Officers) Bill 2026

Senator BROCKMAN (Western Australia—Deputy President and Chair of Committees) (10:20): I'm going to start where Senator Kovacic finished. Fifty-seven thousand people, Senator Kovacic—that's an impressive number of people who are concerned. In one sense, it should be 25 million signatures because that's who should be concerned about— Senator Kovacic: Give me time.

Senator BROCKMAN: I will give you time, Senator Kovacic. That's the number of people who should be concerned about the impact of corruption on our construction industry. As Senator Kovacic so rightly said—though those opposite don't want to admit to it—those on this side of the chamber have no truck with illegality or corruption, no matter where it sits in the construction industry.

If it sits with companies, they should be prosecuted and thrown out of the industry. If it sits with unions, they should be prosecuted and thrown out of the industry. If it sits with ministers in government, then they should be prosecuted and thrown out of parliament.

The fact is corruption is a cancer on our society and our economy. We have seen the evidence of the impact of the CFMEU on state budgets particularly, where we see a 30 per cent price premium for CFMEU involved contracts—government contracts. That is an extra 30 per cent that the Australian taxpayer is having to find.

Now, I can tell you there are a lot of small businesses out there who would love to be able to put their margins up by 30 per cent—they would absolutely love to. It might mean they could actually take some pay home. But they can't.

But, when the CFMEU is involved, suddenly 30 per cent more comes straight out of taxpayers funds into the pockets of corrupt union officials. This is not the way this country should operate. This is not the way.

Anyone who wants to defend the union movement, anyone who wants unions to be a part of our civil society should be more outraged about this than perhaps I am. I think there is an inherent problem with the way a lot of unions operate, not just the CFMEU. It's all about being a closed shop, it's about control and it's about coercion.

The CFMEU has clearly taken that to a different level and clearly a level where corruption and organised crime has infected an entire industry. It particularly seems so in Victoria, though what's coming out of the inquiry in Queensland is, to be honest, just as shocking. So you have to wonder whether it's not everywhere— The ACTING DEPUTY PRESIDENT ( Senator Hodgins-May ): Senator Brockman, your time has expired.

My apologies; I didn't give you forewarning. Senator BROCKMAN: I seek leave to continue my remarks later. Leave granted; debate adjourned.