‘Not convinced’: Employment Relations Minister Murray Watt says construction watchdog not needed

Labor has continued to insist the construction industry does not require a watchdog, despite the CFMEU’s construction and general division being put into administration over claims of criminal infiltration, standover tactics and bullying. This week, a report commissioned by union leadership and conducted by senior silk Geoffrey Watson found the Victorian branch was “infiltrated” by bikies and “caught up in a cycle of lawlessness, where violence was accepted”. Since 2003, the belligerent union has also contravened federal workplace laws on more than 1500 occasions across 213 cases, and copped at least $24m in penalties, according to the Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong. However, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt said “not convinced” of the need for a “building industry specific regulator,” after Prime Minister Anthony Albanese abolished the Australian Building and Construction Commission in 2023. At the time the CFMEU supported and welcomed the decision. “It’s worth recognising that productivity on construction sites actually fell while the ABCC was around, not to mention the fact that all of these recent allegations occurred while the ABCC was around as well,” he told reporters at Wednesday’s National Press Club. “It’s also worth remembering that when we abolished the ABCC, we did give a range of extra powers and resources to the Fair Work Ombudsman to tackle issues on construction work sites.” The Opposition’s spokesperson for workplace relations Michaelia Cash seized on the comments. “What is it going to take for the prime minister of this country to wake up and admit that he was wrong to abolish the ABCC, the tough cop on the beat,” she said. The Coalition currently have a Bill in the Senate calling for the ABCC to be reinstated, however it doesn’t have the support of the government. However Senator Cash said those claims weren’t accurate. “It was the building code which was keeping these builders in the CFMEU to do what we needed them to do. (Labor) then stripped most of the powers that the ABCC had,” she said. “So to say that they gave additional powers to the Fair Work Ombudsman is actually blatantly misleading.” Instead, Senator Watt has announced the National Construction Industry Forum would reconvene in October, bringing together unions, businesses and the government following the fallout over the CFMEU being placed into administration. Industry association groups, including the Australian Constructors Association, Master Builders Australia and the Civil Contractors Federation, will also be in attendance. While he admitted “no bikies would be scared of a forum,” he was the forum would help come up with “shared solutions” and ease tensions between the unions, and government. “We’ll discuss a range of difficult issues and it will require each side to give and take, including by addressing misconduct and lawlessness on both the worker and employer sides,” he said. Senator Cash questioned the effectiveness of the move. “What has the building forum done to date? Absolutely nothing. Another roundtable is not going to help anybody,” she said. IMPORTS ON KILLER STONE BANNED Senator Watt also announced the importation of engineered stoned, commonly used in kitchen and bathroom benchtops, will be banned from January 1 next year. When cut, the material releases crystalline silica dust that in large amounts can lead to the incurable and fatal lung disease silicosis. Since July 1 this year, the manufacturing, supply, processing and installation of benchtops, panels and slabs made from engineered stone has been banned across Australia, with rules extended to products made from materials containing at least 1 per cent crystalline silica as of September 1. However, the rules do not extend to the removal, repair or minor modifications of previously installed work. Senator Watt said the importation ban provided an “extra layer” of protection to workers given most engineered stone products were imported into Australia. “In the past decade, we’ve seen a new version of the scourge of asbestosis emerge with silicosis rising among those who work with engineered stone, especially in construction,” he said, making an announcement during a speech on Wednesday. “Men and women as young as 30 years of age are tragically dying from cancers caused by the cutting of stone that contain silica.” The move was immediately welcomed by NSW Work Health and Safety Minister Sophie Cotsis, who called it “the next logical step to further reducing silicosis and creating safer workplaces”. “Silicosis is preventable, and this step reinforces our commitment to removing dangerous exposure to silica dust from engineered stone, saving lives in the process,” she said. “No one deserves to have their health compromised due to their working environment. Every worker deserves to come home safely at the end of their day.”