Workplace law changes are on the cards regardless of who wins the federal election.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash on Friday announced a re-elected Turnbull government would introduce laws to end the practice of money or reward changing hands between an employer and a union when negotiating a workplace agreement.
The Heydon royal commission identified a number of deals in which companies provided money to unions for training, research and other purposes in order to buy industrial peace.
In many cases the projects were never delivered and the money pocketed by the union.
"It's all about transparency," Senator Cash said during a National Press Club debate with her Labor counterpart Brendan O'Connor.
"If the payments are legitimately made ... they will not fall foul of the corrupting benefits law."
Senator Cash also said the government would give courts the power to disqualify union officials from continuing to hold office where they have been repeatedly found to have breached workplace laws.
Mr O'Connor said if the government was serious it should have included the measures in the bills it put forward as double-dissolution triggers.
Labor did not tolerate any misbehaviour by unions.
"But let me tell you exploitation of workers in this country is not confined to unions - predominantly it's unscrupulous employers exploiting their workforce," he said.
Mr O'Connor said a Shorten government would look at the definition of casual work, setting an objective test for when a worker is or is not a casual.
The term "permanent casual" was an oxymoron, he said, and talks with unions and employers were needed to resolve the issue.
"For us, fairness comes first," he said.
The shadow minister also flagged interest in looking at a "flexible way to negotiate with small business".
Senator Cash declined to say whether the joint sitting of both houses of parliament would go ahead after the election in order to pass the double-dissolution trigger bills - restoring the building watchdog and tougher penalties for union corruption.
"I am not about to pre-empt the outcome of what will occur in the Senate," she said.
"But certainly I would hope that, if we get a mandate in the lower house, the Senate would respect that mandate and we are able to proceed with what are incredibly important pieces of economic legislation."
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