By political reporter Matthew Doran

It is the legislation that could potentially send the nation to the polls on July 2. But what are the Turnbull Government’s proposed industrial relations all about?

The bill

There are two key pieces of legislation the Senate needs to pass to bring back the ABCC.

The ABCC bill’s stated aims are:

The Registered Organisations bill would impose the same disclosure and transparency obligations on union officials as company directors.

The history

The ABCC came into being after the Royal Commission into the Building and Construction Industry, commonly known as the Cole Royal Commission.

Among the 212 recommendations handed down in 2003 was the establishment of the ABCC to combat what was characterised as an industry experiencing lawlessness.

The ABCC was established in October 2005, and survived until the Gillard Labor government passed legislation in February 2012 to abolish the construction watchdog.

In February 2014 the Abbott government introduced a bill to the Senate to bring back the ABCC. The bill was blocked in August 2015, defeated by just one vote.

In March 2016, the legislation was reintroduced following the findings from the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

The Registered Organisations legislation was also blocked in the Senate by just one vote in August 2015.

For and against

The Coalition is pushing the legislation as a key plank of its policy to crack down on corruption in the building and construction sector.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says the Government will negotiate in good faith with the crossbench, but will not “tolerate amendments just for amendments’ sake”.

Labor is vehemently opposed, because it believes the ABCC would have excessive powers.

The Greens also do not support the ABCC or the Registered Organisations legislation.

In relation to the ABCC, the Greens said there should not be such a body just to investigate one industry.

Then there is the crossbench. The government needs to gain the support of six of the eight crossbenchers to pass the bills.

Only one senator has formally declared support for the ABCC bill.

Nick Xenophon (independent, SA): Senator Xenophon has previously indicated that he supports the bill, but appears to be pulling back from that position. He has also flagged that he wants to introduce some amendments.

David Leyonjhelm (Liberal Democrat, NSW): Senator Leyonjhelm had backed the legislation but then withdrew his support in retaliation for the Government’s changes to Senate voting laws. He now says he will not support the ABCC unless the Government reopens the bill for debate so he can introduce some amendments.

John Madigan (independent, Vic): The Victorian senator has been resolutely opposed to the legislation, saying that it unfairly targets trade union leaders. He is unlikely to back it.

Bob Day (Family First, SA): Bob Day says he will support the legislation as he did the last time it came back for a vote.

Dio Wang (Palmer United, WA): Senator Wang has been sympathetic to the aims of the legislation but says he wants to make amendments to instead create a national anti-corruption body similar to the New South Wales Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Ricky Muir (Motoring Enthusiasts, Vic): Senator Muir has said he would back the second reading of the bill but would not make a final decision until the debate has been finished.

Jacqui Lambie (independent, Tas): The independent senator has been fiercely critical of the ABCC bill and is unlikely to support it.

Glenn Lazarus (independent, Qld): Senator Lazarus has withdrawn support, and would want any anti-corruption body to be expanded from the building industry.

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