❓ Opposition questions the Minister about the potential impact of abolishing the ABCC on WA construction, referencing union thuggery and project delays. The Minister deflects, stating it's a Commonwealth matter, but offers a critical opinion on the ABCC's role.
AnsweredQoN 259Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND
CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION
259. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Industrial
Relations:
I refer to the concerns of the
Master Builders Association that Bill Shorten's plan to abolish the
Australian Building and Construction Commission will result in a return of
union thuggery, thereby delaying projects and increasing costs. Given the
previous history of union thuggery in Western Australia at building sites and
the impact that had, has the minister counselled Bill Shorten and his federal
colleagues that his policy to abolish the Australian Building and Construction
Commission has —
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the question.
Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS : Has the
minister counselled Bill Shorten that his policy to abolish the Australian
Building and Construction Commission is unwelcome in Western Australia because
it will see a return of union thuggery, increase costs and delay projects?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Let us hear the
answer if it is a good question, members.
CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION
259. Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS to the Minister for Industrial
Relations:
I refer to the concerns of the
Master Builders Association that Bill Shorten's plan to abolish the
Australian Building and Construction Commission will result in a return of
union thuggery, thereby delaying projects and increasing costs. Given the
previous history of union thuggery in Western Australia at building sites and
the impact that had, has the minister counselled Bill Shorten and his federal
colleagues that his policy to abolish the Australian Building and Construction
Commission has —
The SPEAKER : Members! I want
to hear the question.
Mr P.A. KATSAMBANIS : Has the
minister counselled Bill Shorten that his policy to abolish the Australian
Building and Construction Commission is unwelcome in Western Australia because
it will see a return of union thuggery, increase costs and delay projects?
Several members interjected.
The SPEAKER : Let us hear the
answer if it is a good question, members.
AnswerView source ↗
It is an interesting question. Of
course, it does not actually have anything to do with my portfolio
responsibilities because the Australian Building and Construction Commission
is, in fact, a commonwealth government institution. It is beyond the scope of
the Minister for Industrial Relations in Western Australia to deal with matters
beyond my ministerial responsibility.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman.
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : However, I am
happy to say something, even though the question has not been properly made .
I point out that there have been three royal commissions into the building
industry. The most recent one was about five
years ago and not a single charge resulted in Western Australia from that royal
commission. Think about this —
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : What about
the $1.7 million fine the other day!
The SPEAKER : Member for
Hillarys, you have a supplementary question coming up.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : This is the
extraordinary thing. I am interested in this idea that somehow because
industrial behaviour is made illegal, therefore a fine is a problem. I remind
people that when Paul Murray was the editor of The West Australian and
was sacked after the political interference of a Liberal Premier, the reason he
was reinstated was that journalists at the paper went on strike. If that
happened at a building site, those workers would be fined for illegal secondary
boycotting. Let us understand what we are saying here. The ABCC makes illegal
conduct on building sites, which is the same as the conduct that journalists at The West Australian took on behalf of their editor when he was sacked
after political interference. We have to be very careful about the design of
these decisions. We know that the building industry in Australia can survive
under the same laws that apply to every other worker. The idea that one
industry should have conduct made illegal that is legal in a different industry
is not a proper basis for the conduct of any legal system in a Westminster
tradition.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo.
course, it does not actually have anything to do with my portfolio
responsibilities because the Australian Building and Construction Commission
is, in fact, a commonwealth government institution. It is beyond the scope of
the Minister for Industrial Relations in Western Australia to deal with matters
beyond my ministerial responsibility.
Mr D.C. Nalder interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Bateman.
Mr
W.J. JOHNSTON : However, I am
happy to say something, even though the question has not been properly made .
I point out that there have been three royal commissions into the building
industry. The most recent one was about five
years ago and not a single charge resulted in Western Australia from that royal
commission. Think about this —
Mr P.A. Katsambanis : What about
the $1.7 million fine the other day!
The SPEAKER : Member for
Hillarys, you have a supplementary question coming up.
Mr W.J. JOHNSTON : This is the
extraordinary thing. I am interested in this idea that somehow because
industrial behaviour is made illegal, therefore a fine is a problem. I remind
people that when Paul Murray was the editor of The West Australian and
was sacked after the political interference of a Liberal Premier, the reason he
was reinstated was that journalists at the paper went on strike. If that
happened at a building site, those workers would be fined for illegal secondary
boycotting. Let us understand what we are saying here. The ABCC makes illegal
conduct on building sites, which is the same as the conduct that journalists at The West Australian took on behalf of their editor when he was sacked
after political interference. We have to be very careful about the design of
these decisions. We know that the building industry in Australia can survive
under the same laws that apply to every other worker. The idea that one
industry should have conduct made illegal that is legal in a different industry
is not a proper basis for the conduct of any legal system in a Westminster
tradition.
Ms S. Winton interjected.
The SPEAKER : Member for
Wanneroo.
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