New laws to stop corrupt payment to unions

Corrupt payments between employers and unions will be a criminal offence after legislation cleared the Senate.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash said the new law would protect workers from secret deals that conflicted with their interests, punishing both employers and unions for giving and accepting corrupting payments.

Labor opposed the legislation, despite the government accepting most of its amendments, but it passed with crossbench support and will now go to the lower house for approval.