Page 1132 - Week 04 - Wednesday, 6 April 2016
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I have called several times in this Assembly for ACT Labor to distance themselves from the CFMEU. That call has been repeatedly ignored, even when union members are admitting to blackmail or members face questions and charges over their behaviour. Now we know why. This government has become so intertwined with the unions that there is simply no distance between them. This document has been central to that pact and alliance.
This Labor government cannot say that they are separate from the CFMEU. Let me quote Jon Stanhope. He recognised the self-evident truth of this when he said:
The ALP will insist that it was “them” that were at fault, not “us”, when, in fact, they are in reality “us”.
It is this agreement that codifies an endless cycle of the misuse of power. This agreement surrenders the independence and integrity of this government. We are not the only ones to see this. I quote from a Canberra Times editorial. I do not know whether Mr Corbell would deride that source as not independent. Let me quote from the editorial of 17 March:
… there are reports some organisers have brandished it to force people to sign enterprise bargaining agreements. If true, the allegations are telling evidence of the MOU’s real purpose: entrenchment of union power over employers by state writ.
It goes on to say:
Long-standing it may be, but no amount of deflection or redirection will change that unsavoury fact.
The headline of the editorial was right to say, “The deal between the state government”—meaning this Labor government— “and UnionsACT just doesn’t smell right.” It does not smell right, Madam Speaker; in fact, it stinks.
Mr Stanhope sees the malaise in his old party. In an article entitled, “The witch-hunt Labor has to have?” he said he was hoping to encourage members of the Labor Party to “at least admit that the centralisation of power has corrupted the party”. If former Labor Chief Minister Jon Stanhope can see that the centralisation of power has corrupted the party then equally we should be able to see it.
Today we are calling for a number of actions that are reasonable and proper if we are to restore ethical government to the ACT. We want the government to provide copies of previous versions of the MOU to the Assembly and to the public. Mr Barr has said this agreement has been in place for many years. If that is the case then let us see it. My understanding is that both Jon Stanhope and Amanda Bresnan, a committee member looking at procurement, have no recollection of such a document. In any case, if what Mr Barr claims is true, there should be no problem presenting those documents to the Assembly now. The unions have them; why can’t we?
I would ask him to provide a full copy of all documentation provided to UnionsACT under the terms of this MOU and under any previous versions of the MOU. Who is
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