CFMEU link to Pauline Hanson’s industrial relations trickery

Queensland CFMEU official incited Pauline Hanson to block the government’s union-busting bill in a betray­al of her written assurances.

One Nation senator Pauline Hanson in Canberra. Picture: Gary Ramage

A central Queensland CFMEU official, condemned for his behaviour in a major industria­l dispute, incited Pauline Hanson to block the government’s union-busting bill in a betray­al of written assurances of support she gave senior ministers.

Senior government figures continue to vent their fury at the One Nation leader’s 11th-hour ­decision and have vowed to re­introduce the bill next week, amid warnings from business that its defeat amounts to a green light for union thuggery.

Senator Hanson held meetings with Queensland CFMEU construction division organiser Chris Brodsky, who led the union’s fierce dispute with miner Glencore at Oaky North in the Bowen Basin, which ended in February last year after 230 days.

READ MORE: A win for union thuggery | How parliament lost its integrity | Hanson blindside kills anti-thug law |

Then employment minister Michaelia Cash described Mr Brodsky during the dispute as a central figure in “some of the most appalling union behaviour Aust­rali­ans have ever seen”.

Mr Brodsky introduced Senator Hanson to officials at a total of 10 unions in the weeks leading up to Thursday’s vote. She was urged against supporting the Ensuring Integrity Bill that makes it easier to deregister law-breaking unions and their officials.

Senator Hanson’s unexpected vote against the bill on Thursday came despite text-message ­assur­ances to senior ministers that she would support it.

She had also given multiple verbal assurances, even on the day the bill was brought on, that she would vote with the government.

Senior government figures ­declared their fury at Senator Hanson’s “betrayal” in light of her position during the negotiations, unlike independent Jacqui Lambie, who also voted against the bill but had not given impressions she would back the legislation. A ­senior government source said it was believed to be a “premeditated deception” by Senator Hanson.

Queensland CFMEU official Chris Brodsky. Picture: Lucy Smith

Attorney-General Christian Porter will reintroduce the legislation to the House of Representatives next week but it will not come to a vote until next year.

Mr Porter said he was open to further amendments to the bill to ensure it passed parliament. The government also faces a tough task to get its medivac repeal legislation through the Senate next week and has ruled out amending the bill to secure the key support of Senator Lambie.

A defiant Senator Hanson said on Friday morning that her decisio­n on the IR bill was so last-minute that her staff did not know which way she would vote.

“I had to go back and tell my staff as well,” she said.

The Queensland senator said the government needed to do more to tackle white-collar crime, declaring her decision was influenced by the scandal surrounding Westpac.

“The people of Australia want to see that their government is going to deal with white-collar crime, which they haven’t,” Senator­ Hanson told Sky News. “(Scott) Morrison came out and said: ‘It is not up to us to deal with the banks, it is up to the board.’ But we are guaranteeing the banks. So the government does have a big say in the banking sector.”

Mr Porter said One Nation had “sided with the thugs” in the Construction Forestry Maritime Mining and Energy Union.

In her speech to the Senate on Wednesday night, Senator Hanson­ acknowledged the “early dialogue with the unions” initiated by Mr Brodsky.

“It was his approach and introduction that led to the very ­worthwhile discussions Senator (Malcolm) Roberts and I had with the CFMMEU, the AWU and, in total, 10 union bodies across Australia,” Senator Hanson said.

Mr Brodsky declined to ­comment on his dealings with Senator Hanson and rejected Senator Cash’s description of him.

A spokesman for One Nation said there was “definitely no deal, formal, informal, nothing” with the CFMEU or any other union related­ to the Queensland election next October. However, the party and the union had a good working relationship in central Queensland, after One Nation ran miner Wade Rothery in the federal seat of Capricornia at the May election. As a result, the CFMEU did not target One Nation.

Business Council of Australia chief executive Jennifer Westacott said the Senate defeat of the bill would lead to more “bullying, thuggery, corruption and intimid­ation”. Ms Westacott dismissed Senator Hanson’s claim that the crisis engulfing Westpac showed the government was not cracking down on white-collar crime.

“Over the past few years parliament has passed over 40 laws and regulations targeting business conduct,” Ms Westacott said.

“These include measures to jail directors, set wages for bank ­executives, ensure the banks pay a special levy, and give regulators far-reaching powers including to intervene in energy prices. While the Senate has taken action on corporate Australia, it has decided to turn a blind eye to harassment, thuggery, corruption and bullying in the union movement.’’

Master Builders Australia chief executive Denita Wawn, whose organisation donated to One Nation­’s Queensland branch this year, urged Senator Hanson to ­reconsider if the legislation was reintroduced. “Small builders and tradies are bullied every day by construction union thugs and they don’t understand why Senator Hanson voted to let the bullies win,” Ms Wawn said. “They should not continue to be at the mercy of construction union bullies because­ of the misconduct of the banks or white-collar criminals.”

Minerals Council of Australia chief executive Tania Constable said “stable and productive workplace relations” were essential to investment and wage growth in the sector. “Passage of the bill would have prevented unlawful conduct by trade unions and employe­r associations and improve­d their governance, while protecting the right of workers to participate in unions and bargain collectively,” Ms Constable said.

Controversial Victorian CFMEU leader John Setka hailed the bill’s failure to pass the Senate. “Thank you to all of the senators who voted against the anti-worker Ensuring Integrity Bill," Mt Setka tweeted. “For now, we’ve defeated this union-busting bill and ­protected Australian workers.”

Senator Lambie vowed in July to support the union crackdown unless Mr Setka resigned as Victor­ian secretary of the construction division of the CFMEU. She voted against the bill, despite Mr Setka remaining in his role.

Senate leader Mathias Cormann said the government would “100 per cent reintroduce this reform­” and declared it would be before the Senate early next year.

Additional reporting: Simon Benson