This week the Federal Labor Government announced they would be reducing the Australian Building and Construction Commission’s (ABCC) powers ‘to a bare minimum.’
Federal Member for Mallee and Shadow Assistant Minister for Regional Development, Anne Webster said that the decision demonstrated that the Albanese Labor Government is determined to put unchecked unions and their bosses at the wheel of an industry worth more than $140bn to the economy.
“Labor are effectively refusing to hold their mates, the CFMEU, accountable. This is seriously concerning and risks chaos for local construction sites,” Dr Webster said.
“The outcry from industry and employer groups shows that Labor will do anything to please the CFMEU. The industry wants regulation, not just favour for union loyalists.
“It is quite remarkable that the same government that heralded the promised integrity commission ‘with teeth’ just months ago, have now made the ABCC a toothless tiger in their first sitting week as government.
“When the Coalition reinstated the ABCC in 2016, incidents of lawlessness decreased along with the volume of working days lost.
“Who is going to protect workers from bullying behaviour that the previous government worked hard to stamp out? Now we expect jobs will be lost, the CFMEU’s unruly behaviour will increase, building costs will go up, and large, small and family businesses will potentially fold.”