One Nation union-busting bill changes get nod

The government appears close to securing crossbench support for its union-busting bill after signalling support for One Nation changes.

Jacqui Lambie, left, and Pauline Hanson want union-busting bill amendments released. Pictures: Kym Smith

The government appears on the verge of securing Senate crossbench support for its union-restricting Ensuring Integrity Bill after signalling support for One Nation changes designed to lift the proposed threshold for banning union officials.

With Centre Alliance set to back the bill, the government only needs the two Senate votes of One Nation to get the proposed laws passed in the final two Senate sitting weeks before Christmas.

Attorney-General Christian Porter said the One Nation amendments released on Wednesday, along with Centre Alliance’s proposed demerit points system for law-breaking officials, were “very reasonable” and he believed there would be “general agreement” on the changes.

The One Nation amendments essentially propose officials could only face a disqualification application if they have been convicted of a criminal offence or have been subject to a court order, not just a finding.

One Nation also believes Centre Alliance amendments supported by the government will address its concerns that union officials could be banned for minor paperwork breaches.

Pauline Hanson said One Nation proposed the amendments after unions raised a “quantity of genuine concerns” about the original bill.

“I won’t stand for union bashing and therefore I won’t support the deregistration of organisations for misdemeanour offences like late paperwork submissions,” she said.

READ MORE: Union-busting bill vote delayed | Porter plan to push union-busting bill | Demerit system to bust rogue union chiefs |

“I have however forewarned union bosses that bullying and thuggery must be stamped out in accordance with public expectations.”

ACTU president Michele O’Neil said the One Nation amendments addressed the union movement’s concern that a “whole union could be shut down” without a court being required to make an order.

But she maintained the demerits points system could see a union deregistered “if paperwork was submitted a day late three times over ten years”. “Our view remains that this extreme and dangerous bill must be opposed in its entirety,” she said.

The government is expected to release its proposed amendments by Friday.

Senator Jacqui Lambie said the government must release its proposed amendments to the bill by Friday.

‘Stop taking us for fools’

“You don’t end the career of a union official or cancel the registration of a union on a lark. You’ve got to know the consequences. And by hiding these amendments behind the silly excuse of ‘they’re still being finalised’ is taking us for fools. You say you want to bring on the vote on this bill, but you can’t show the amendments to Labor or the unions because they’re not ready? Give me a break.

“Release your amendments now. The crossbench needs to take the time to get the views of the people who’ve got skin in the game with this bill. You don’t have to give us time, but we don’t have to give you support.”

Speaking at the National Press Club on Wednesday, Mr Porter said he had been negotiating with One Nation and Centre Alliance separately and the government would release the amendments “shortly”.

He said the bill was critical to tackling the construction union’s unlawful behaviour as current penalties were having no impact due to the union having built them into its business model.

He noted Senator Lambie had publicly said she would support the bill if CFMEU Victorian leader John Setka did not resign and “so I am looking forward to that support”. It is understood she has not provided any proposed written amendments to the government.

The government requires the support of One Nation or Jacqui Lambie to get the bill passed. It has two weeks of Senate sittings from November 25 to get the bill passed this year.

Mr Porter on Monday rejected Opposition calls to publicly release the proposed amendments ahead of the Senate vote.

The government has been discussing amendments to the bill with the Senate crossbench, including a proposed demerit points system that would apply to contraventions of the law by unions and union officials.

Ms Hanson has expressed scepticism about the demerit points system that would allow the Registered Organisations Commission to apply to deregister unions or ban officials if they reached different penalty unit thresholds for breaches of the law.

Centre Alliance senator Rex Patrick, who proposed the points system, said union officials would face bans if they committed multiple minor breaches but the ACTU maintains unions could be shut down and officials axed for paperwork breaches.

Labor’s industrial relations spokesman Tony Burke said the public had a right to know what changes the government was making to its “anti-worker union-bashing legislation”.