Tuesday, 30 July 2024

Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:10): My question is to the Premier. Does Mr Greg Wilson, the chair of the review the Premier has announced, have the power to hold public hearings as part of his review into the CFMEU?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:10): Greg Wilson has been appointed to conduct an independent review, and I am pleased to see that the Leader of the Opposition is referencing the strong action we have taken as a government, because the independent review is one part of a series of actions that we are taking.

John Pesutto: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, the question was very narrowly drafted in relation to whether Mr Wilson’s review will hold public hearings. Can you direct the Premier back to the question?

Danny Pearson: On the point of order, Speaker, this is the second time those opposite have interrupted the Premier when she is less than 30 seconds into her answer.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: This review is in addition to the leadership that the federal Labor government is taking, because as most of us in this house should be aware, it is the federal government who wields the industrial relations powers in this state, which is why I asked for the federal government to review enterprise bargaining agreements in this state. The New South Wales government followed our lead, and that is what the federal government is doing. Greg Wilson leading the independent review is going to be an important additional mechanism to support that work, because we know that we have more to do to strengthen the –

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, standing orders do require the Premier to be direct in answering the question – standing order 58. The Premier has not even addressed the question as to whether or not there will be public hearings. I would ask you to ask the Premier to go to that question.

The SPEAKER: I cannot tell the Premier how to answer a question. The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Jacinta ALLAN: The work that Mr Wilson will be doing will be to look at what we need to do to strengthen the arrangements between state government agencies and departments that engage with construction companies and construction unions but also to provide pathways for whistleblowers and complainants to have their matters raised in a confidential way. In terms of the arrangements for the independent inquiry, the independent inquiry has been established under the Victorian Inquiries Act, which was a piece of legislation that we supported that was brought into this place under former Premier Denis Napthine, and that Inquiries Act provides Mr Wilson with the powers he needs to conduct his inquiry independent of the government – the powers to undertake the task that he needs to undertake.

John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:13): Does Mr Wilson have the power to compel answers from ministers as part of his review into the CFMEU?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:13): This is the thing about an independent review that been established under the Inquiries Act: it is independent. It is independent of the government. It has been established under the Inquiries Act, which is a piece of legislation that was introduced when the Leader of the Opposition was working for the former Liberal government.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, not just in this question but today the Premier is refusing to in any way go to the substance of the questions that are being asked, either directly or otherwise. On this particular question I would ask you to bring the Premier back to actually answering the question. The standing orders do provide the capacity for direct answers.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked.

Jacinta ALLAN: Mr Wilson will undertake his duties consistent with the independent powers that he has under that Inquiries Act. I am not going to take the path that the Leader of the Opposition is suggesting – that we should interfere with his work, that we should direct him in his work. That is clearly the approach the Leader of the Opposition wants us to take.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, Rulings from the Chair is very, very clear that a minister must relate their remarks to the question asked, and I would put to you that the Premier is quite directly and obviously obfuscating and refusing to answer the question. I would ask you to rule that the Premier come back to the actual questions asked rather than trying to talk about the topics more generally.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was being relevant to the question that was asked. I cannot direct the Premier to answer the question the way that you might like her to answer the question, but she was being relevant. The Premier has concluded her answer.

James Newbury: Further to the point of order, Speaker, if the ministry can simply just on every –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The Manager of Opposition Business can raise a point of order.

James Newbury: Speaker, clarifying further the point you have just made, it is clear that there is an issue with the ministry refusing to do anything other than talk about the topics that are raised rather than going to the questions. Previous rulings, as is clear in Rulings from the Chair, show that answers do have to go to the substance of the question, and that is clearly not the case.

The SPEAKER: Manager of Opposition Business, I have ruled on the point of order. The Premier has concluded her answer.