Labor must explain how they will stop lawlessness and thuggery at Queensland building sites under a plan to scrap the independent construction industry watchdog.
Figures show lawlessness at Queensland building sites is worse than in any other state or territory across the country.
Currently, 10 of the 34 cases brought before the courts by the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) are in Queensland, higher than in any other state.
There are also 21 CFMMEU representatives currently before the courts in these 10 Queensland matters.
Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations Jarrod Bleijie said it was outrageous that Industrial Relation Minister Grace Grace backed moves to abolish the ABCC.
“It is astounding to think that Queensland Labor wants to abolish an independent regulator that assists employees in recovering unpaid wages and entitlements,” he said.
“There will be endless incidents of bullying, coercion and other unlawful behaviour committed by Queensland’s militant CFMMEU without the ABCC.
“The only way Queensland’s building industry will thrive is if there is a strong and independent regulator to keep the unions in line.”
Since being re-established in December 2016, more than $11.2 million in penalties have been handed down by the courts against the CFMMEU and more than 100 of its representatives for around 1400 contraventions of the law.
Of these, almost $3 million relates to 914 contraventions by the CFMMEU and 35 of its representatives in Queensland.
This represents more fines, contraventions and officials penalised as a result of ABCC court action than any other State or Territory branch of the CFMMEU in Australia.
