Face of Nation : Armed with the knowledge the government’s popularity has surged according to the first Newspoll since the election, Scott Morrison is squaring for a fight against union thugs when parliament resumes on Monday.
The coalition’s primary vote has increased 2.6 per cent since its May victory to 44 per cent, according to the poll published by The Australian. The government now leads Labor 53 per cent to 47 per cent on a two-party preferred vote. With four sitting days left until the long winter break, the prime minister wants to pass laws making it easier to kick rogue officials out of the union movement. Mr Morrison also wants more power to deregister misbehaving unions and put checks on union mergers. He has seized on John Setka’s refusal to step down from the Victorian construction union as apparent proof the crackdown is needed.
This may be enough to clinch crucial Senate crossbench support for his union-busting legislation but Labor claims the industrial relations laws expose the prime minister’s deep-seated “hatred” for unions in general. The opposition will this week try to launch an inquiry into meetings between Energy Minister Angus Taylor and environmental officials about endangered grasslands.
Labor is pursuing the cabinet minister over his interest in a family company linked to an investigation into alleged illegal land clearing. But Mr Taylor says his interests have been widely declared and has accused the opposition of waging a “grubby smear campaign”.
The government has so far managed to fend off an investigation. But key crossbench senator Rex Patrick has flipped his position, and is now willing to back an inquiry. Meanwhile, Mr Morrison heads Labor leader Anthony Albanese as preferred prime minister 48 per cent to 31 per cent, according to Newspoll, while Labor’s primary vote remains largely unchanged at 33 per cent. The findings come after many pollsters took a hiatus following the May election result which they failed to predict across the board.
