Labor union ties underlie FOFA agenda

Addressing the Senate in dissent of the motion, Victorian senator Michael Ronaldson accused the Labor party, and in particular Senator Sam Dastyari, of “duplicity”.

“It is crocodile tears for those who should be protected and it is only about the cheap motives of the Australian Labor Party,” he said in reference to Senator Dastyari’s support of the motion.

He suggested the ALP disenfranchised small business owners in favour of union interests.

“It is quite obvious to me that the Australian Labor Party hates the small business sector,” he said.

“They always have because the small business sector does not support the Labor Party's philosophical views, which is about big unions and big businesses.”

Senator Ronaldson said if the ALP won in next week’s Victorian election, it would be in debt to the CMFEU.

“The dirty deeds have been done but it hasn't been dirt cheap,” he said.  “There have been tens and tens and tens of thousands of union money going into the Australian Labor Party.”

He predicted crossbenchers who supported Labor in yesterday’s vote would have to answer to their electorate.

“How are you going to look them in the eye tomorrow and say, ‘I had the opportunity to discuss this matter till Thursday of next week and I decided I was not prepared to do so? Instead, I decided to back the Australian Labor Party because of their complete and utter ownership by the trade union movement,’” he said.