Ensuring Integrity Bill: Jacqui Lambie’s late IR changes rejected

Christian Porter has rejected demands for significant eleventh hour changes to the union bill.

One Nation Senator Malcolm Roberts and One Nation leader Senator Pauline Hanson during a division in the Senate chamber. Picture: AAP

Attorney-General Christian Porter has rejected demands by Senate crossbencher Jacqui Lambie for significant eleventh hour changes to the Ensuring Integrity Bill, as the government banks on the support of One Nation to get the proposed union-restricting laws passed by the Senate.

The government remained privately confident One Nation would deliver the two votes it needs to get the bill passed and the minor party’s senator Malcolm Roberts hinted on Wednesday at support for the bill.

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Addressing the Senate on Wednesday night, Pauline Hanson declined to reveal her voting intention but said the One Nation amendments agreed by the government were intended to further protect workers and minimise the risk of unions being deregistered for paperwork misdemeanours.

She criticised the government’s approach to the corporate sector. “What I pick up from the public is a crystal clear view that this government has one rule for white collar crime and a much harsher rules for blue collar crime,” she said

She also attacked Labor’s support for free trade deals, claiming One Nation was now the only political party defending Australian jobs.

“So if Australian workers or unions want to be upset with anyone this week, don’t be upset with the crossbench members, take out your fury out on Labor and the Liberal National government

Senator Lambie, who previously vowed to back the bill unless CFMEU Victorian leader John Setka quit, said she still believed he should resign but "I’m not prepared to throw every single union member in the country under the bus just because one bloke wants his job".

Her amendments proposed that unprotected industrial not be grounds for disqualifying officials

“It’s only through my amendments that the right to strike is protected,” she said. “Anything less is frankly un-Australian and I’m shocked nobody else has seen to protect that fundamental right.”

“My amendments make it so that you’re not going to get deregistered or disqualified for messing up your paperwork but if you’re a menace, you’re going to find yourself in the docks.”

Mr Porter rejected Senator Lambie’s proposed amendments, saying they were not workable. He said the government had worked cooperatively with Centre Alliance and One Nation on their amendments for several weeks

“We sought from Jacqui Lambie her amendments some time ago – they were only provided this evening. They are not workable and not supported by the government.

“Jacqui Lambie has been on the record time and time again saying that if John Setka was still running the CFMEU in Victoria that she would back the bill. John Setka is still running the CFMEU in Victoria.”

Under Senator Lambie’s proposed changes, union officials would only be disqualified for a serious contravention such as a finding that includes criminal penalties or substantial fines, and was “part of a pattern of behaviour that shows the person isn’t just making innocent slip-ups every now and then”.

Deregistering a union would require serious and systemic misbehaviour – three serious breaches in three years, or being criminally convicted to a penalty of at least 1,500 penalty units. She also sought to remove provisions allowing the Federal Court to appoint an administrator to take over a union, and said union mergers should not be subject to a public interest test.

Senator Roberts lashed “rogue” union officials and welcomed government amendments to the bill.

He said unions has raised legitimate concerns about the original bill which One Nation would have opposed. “We proposed positive improvements to this bill and these have been accepted,” he said.

Senator Roberts said the community gives many rights and privileges to registered employers organisations and unions “and with these rights come responsibilities”.

“Some trade unions have now just become rich, big businesses and political entities with access to rivers of gold ripped from the pockets of hard working union members and employee superannuation funds,” he said

Centre Alliance Rex Patrick, who is backing the bill, said amendments agreed by the government ensured there were now “strong safeguards” in the proposed laws.