Wednesday, 14 August 2024

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:08): (614) My question is for the Minister for Housing. I refer to the project you oversee at Victoria Street, Flemington, which is due for completion in 2024, with your construction partner Icon. Given the enterprise agreement struck between Icon and the CFMEU is in force on this site, what assurance can you provide the Victorian community that no threatening, corrupt, violent or illegal behaviour has occurred on the site?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:08): Thank you, Mr Davis, for that question and for your interest in making sure that our workplaces are free from criminal behaviour and unsafe, unlawful or otherwise inappropriate industrial relations practices. I have sought and received assurances that the arrangements entered into by contractors, developers and employee organisations, whoever they might be, have not been the subject of any allegations of criminal or inappropriate behaviour.

What I would say in addition to that is that if there are any allegations of criminal, unlawful, unsafe, inappropriate or coercive behaviour or actions on our worksites, across our builds, in our workplaces, whether it is a boardroom or a factory floor, people should report those allegations so that action can be taken. It is crucially important that people have a measure of process available to them, whether that is about notifying relevant integrity bodies, whether that is about getting in contact with the Fair Work Ombudsman, whether that is about escalating any matters of a criminal nature to police for a response, whether that is about, as the Premier has done, making sure that matters of concern can be raised for the attention of IBAC or others.

Mr Davis, I would hope, unlike what you did in 2020, when you failed to refer a matter of such concern to integrity bodies as a local member, that in fact anybody else who has such concerns will do what is necessary to make sure that those matters can be investigated. What I would also say –

David Davis: On a point of order, Deputy President, this is an opportunity for questions of government ministers. It is not an opportunity for the minister to attack the opposition.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: I will draw the minister back to the substance of the question.

Harriet SHING: Thank you. Mr Davis, statements of fact can often be uncomfortable, so I can forgive you your reaction. I very, very proudly and determinedly stand by my commitment to safe workplaces. When I stood in this place and voted in support of industrial manslaughter laws, wage theft sanctions and the work around amendments to occupational health and safety legislation to ensure that people are able to go to work and return home safe with the protections of the law around them, I did so with the convictions that underpin the work of this government. I am determined – and I would hope that more people, perhaps on your benches, share the same view – to make sure that people can access safe, reasonable, fair terms and conditions and a fair safety net of terms and have the benefit, including of representation of unions, on their worksites to make and keep them safe.

David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:12): Deputy President, I will just make the point that I have made referrals on a number of occasions. Beyond that, I thank the minister for her response, and I note that the minister said –

Members interjecting.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: Can we hear the question in silence, please.

David DAVIS: I note that the minister said that she had sought and received assurances. I ask her: will you make those available to the house and the community?

Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for Housing, Minister for Water, Minister for Equality) (12:12): Mr Davis, I am making those available right now. I have sought and I have received assurances. I am not sure what it is that you are –

David Davis: On a point of order, Deputy President, it is very clear that if the minister has received documents or information or assurances, she should make those available to the house. Simply asserting that she has received them is not sufficient.

The DEPUTY PRESIDENT: The minister has been speaking for 13 seconds. I will ask her to continue with her answer.

Harriet SHING: Again, Mr Davis –

Georgie Crozier: You have misled the house. You haven’t at all.

Harriet SHING: Ms Crozier, if you would like to move that by way of substantive motion, then do feel free to go ahead. I am very happy to confirm to the house, as I have now on a number of occasions, that I have sought and received assurances about the contracts and engagements, including collective agreements that have been negotiated by and approved by parties to them and indeed taken to the Fair Work Commission, a federal body. Mr Davis, we can go right back to industrial relations 101 if you would like to understand how these various parts of the jurisdiction interrelate. I have sought and received assurances about the proper conduct of parties to those enterprise agreements in the discussion, negotiation and the reaching of terms as they relate to them.

David Davis interjected.

Harriet SHING: Mr Davis, I am giving you what you have asked for, right here and right now. Have a look at Hansard when it is published.