Bill Shorten could have faced criminal charges for union past under new laws, says PM

EXCLUSIVE: PM Malcolm Turnbull says Bill Shorten could have faced jail time had the Government’s new laws on union corruption been in place when the Australian Workers’ Union pocketed $75K in secret payments.

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PRIME Minister Malcolm Turnbull says Bill Shorten could have faced criminal charges and even jail time had the government’s new laws on union corruption been in place when the Australian Workers’ Union pocketed $75,000 in ­secret payments from the Cleanevent business.

As the Turnbull government steps up its attack on the Labor leader’s union ties, The Daily Telegraph can reveal federal government analysis has found Mr Shorten’s weakening of workplace penalties saved the lawless CFMEU more than $4 million in fines.

The internal government analysis found the Construction, Forestry, Mining and ­Energy Union would have paid an extra $4,180,925 for its 19 breaches over the past five years had the Australian Building and Construction Commission not been abolished by Mr Shorten when he was workplace relations minister in 2012.

A spokesperson for Mr Shorten said the Opposition Leader was proud to have spent his adult life serving ­others.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said during this same period the CFMEU ­donated $3.7 million to Labor.

“By axing the ABCC and ­reducing penalties by two- thirds when he was Workplace Relations Minister, Bill Shorten gifted the CFMEU over $4 million,” she said.

“This has then meant the CFMEU could then donate this money to the Labor Party.

“Bill Shorten’s policy to again abolish the ABCC has nothing to do with fairness at work or the interests of workers.

“It is all about money for the CFMEU and money for the Labor Party.”

Digital enhancement: Daily Telegraph

The analysis comes a day after the Turnbull government passed new laws making it ­unlawful for businesses to make secret payments to ­unions.

Mr Turnbull and Ms Cash made the new laws personal, drawing in revelations from the Heydon Royal Commission that the AWU, when Mr Shorten was leader, received $75,000 from Cleanevent.

“The conduct of Mr Shorten, if it were repeated under these laws, would attract criminal sanctions” Mr Turnbull said.

Minister for Employment Michaelia Cash.

“If you take benefits from an employer of that kind, ­undisclosed, in the course of negotiations, enterprise agreement negotiations, that is made unlawful.”

Ms Cash continued the ­attack on Mr Shorten.

“Another corrupting benefit that is now banned under this legislation is an employer, Clean­event, handing over to the AWU $75,000 to ensure that the union did not agitate for higher wages for the workers that it represented,” she said.

A spokesperson for Mr Shorten said the Opposition Leader was proud to have spent his adult life serving ­others.

“Malcolm Turnbull has spent his life helping himself,” the spokesperson said.