State Agriculture Minister Leanne Donaldson is, according to her declaration of pecuniary interests, a member of the CFMEU and the ETU (Electrical Trades Union).
However, when did the minister ever work in construction, mining, forestry, energy or electrical industries?
In her inaugural speech to Parliament, Ms Donaldson said she's spent "20 years working for the state government and non-government sectors… [and] as a contractor in areas such as child protection, family law, foster care and training".
So how many members of the state ALP caucus are members of unions, but have not worked in the industry sector covered by their union? Quite a few, apparently, according to their declarations of pecuniary interest.
It's a bit like flags of convenience in the global shipping industry. Obviously to be elected as an ALP candidate, it is better, even necessary, to be a member of an ALP-affiliated union.
The big white-collar unions, the nurses (QNU), and the teachers (QTU) are not affiliated with the ALP.
Which is why we see lawyers, teachers and nurses in the ALP caucus line up as members of blue-collar unions. Lawyer Peter Russo (Sunnybank) is a member of the Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU), and United Voice.
Cabinet members Cameron Dick and Yvette D'Ath are both lawyers, and members of the AWU.
Teacher Coralee O'Rourke (Mundingburra) is a member of United Voice, once affectionately known as the Missos, an amalgamation of the Miscellaneous Workers Union and the Liquor Trades Union.
The Premier is AWU, the Deputy Premier, AMWU.
Teacher Leeanne Enoch is a member of the ASU – Australian Services Union. Employment and Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace, a former head of the Queensland Council of Unions, collects union memberships like discount pizza vouchers. She reports being a member of the CPSU, NUW, ASU and Together.
Townsville MP Scott Stewart and Rick Williams, the controversial member for Pumicestone, don't report any union memberships.
The large union blocs in caucus are the AWU on the right, along with less-influential right faction unions such as the National Union of Workers (the old Storemen and Packers). On the left, the Australian Services Union (aka Together), the AMWU (metal workers), and United Voice are the dominant unions, and along with the ETU, CPSU and CFMEU, with three members each, gives the left at least three quarters of the votes in the 42-member caucus.
Coalminer's daughter Jo-Ann Miller, Jim Pearce (Mirani) from the central Queensland coal fields, and Ms Donaldson are CFMEU members. Shane King (Kallangur) and Nikki Boyd (Pine Rivers) both have ETU connections, as did Energy Minister Mark Bailey, who resigned from the ETU to avoid perceptions of conflict of interest. Bailey is now a member of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union.
No one in the Queensland ALP caucus reports being a member of the SDA, the Shoppies Union, yet the Shoppies have enough influence to get a Senate seat in Queensland.
Dr John Harrison is senior lecturer in the University of Queensland's School of Communication and Arts.
For independent news coverage, be sure to follow our Facebook feed.
0 comments
New User? Sign up