Nick Sherry confirmed in Senate Estimates today that he did indeed have secret meetings with trade unions that he had previously denied only four months ago.

“It took 20 minutes of obfuscation and denials before Senator Sherry confirmed that a secret meeting with unions did indeed take place – contradicting his denials at the last Senate Estimates,” said Senator Ryan.

In Senate Estimates last October, Senator Sherry emphatically denied attending any meetings with the CFMEU, AWU, the TWU and the CEPU that discussed Labor’s agenda with independent contractors.

Senator RYAN—I would like to turn to the issue of independent contractors. I am sure you are familiar with some of the newspapers’ coverage on this issue, particularly an article in the Financial Review in September that referred to the Labor government setting up a process for the unions to discuss a potential crackdown on sham contracting, which indicated that you were involved in three meetings with a group of unions—including the CFMEU, the AMWU, the AWU, the TWU and the CEPU—before the election.

Senator Sherry—Wrong.

Senator RYAN—There were no such meetings?

Senator Sherry—No.

(Economics Committee Hansard – 20.10.10 p.E90)

Today he confirmed in Senate Estimates that he attended at least one secret meeting with unions and that they did discuss the fate of independent contractors in Australia at these meetings.

“How can the small business community have faith in a minister who refuses to divulge secret meetings with unions that directly impact the laws they operate under?”

“Senator Sherry’s obfuscation, deception and denials about his secret meetings with trade unions proves that small business cannot trust this government,” said Senator Ryan.