Media reports today reveal Bill Shorten visited the CFMEU picket line at Glencore’s Oaky Creek North mine where workers have been subjected to a long-running campaign of vile abuse and intimidation.

 

Bill Shorten has made a deliberate and revealing decision. By standing in support of those at the picket line he is clearly endorsing their behaviour, which has been atrocious and well-documented.

 

Workers seeking to enter the mine site and do their job each day have been forced to endure outrageous abuse, threats and a menacing campaign of bullying and harassment against themselves and their families.

 

Excerpts of security reports from the picket line include the following sickening comments;

 

            “I’ll attack you with a crowbar”

            “I’ll f****** rape your kids c***”

“You’re a fa***t”

“Your mother would be proud of you. Sucking c***”

“Piss off ya b****”

“Go on c***, get out of here”

 

Bill Shorten knew about this behaviour and instead of doing the decent thing and unequivocally condemning it, he joined the picket line on Friday and offered them his support.

 

It is no longer possible for Bill Shorten to feign disapproval of the CFMEU’s unlawful behaviour again and again whilst continuing to accept their financial and political support.

 

Since Bill Shorten was elected leader, the Australian Labor Party has received over $3 million in donations from the CFMEU and Bill Shorten relies on this organisation for his political survival as ALP leader.

 

A person is known by the company he keeps.

 

As a leader of a major political party, what message is Bill Shorten sending to those workers who have been subjected to the CFMEU’s abuse when he stands in solidarity with the abusers?

 

Enough really is enough.

 

Bill Shorten must formally, unequivocally and immediately sever ties between the ALP and the CFMEU. To do anything less would be an utter failure of leadership and would reveal – yet again – that Mr Shorten is happy to be the political puppet of Australia’s most corrupt and thuggish union.

 

Anything less will be a clear endorsement of the intimidation, abuse and lawbreaking that has become synonymous with this militant union.

 

When will Bill Shorten stand up for workers and common decency by standing up to the thugs who bankroll his party?