Master Builders Disappointed over Industry Watchdog Legislation

Master Builders Australia, today expressed disappointment at the watering down of the powers for the new industry watchdog that is contrary to a mountain of evidence pointing to the need for a tough cop on the beat.

Mr Wilhelm Harnisch, CEO of Master Builders Australia said, “Despite the disappointment, Master Builders will work with the Deputy Prime Minister to ensure that the legislation is workable and to ensure that any weakening of the current ABCC powers are minimised.

“Master Builders is very concerned about the workability of the legislation if the new industry watchdog, the Building Industry Inspectorate, is to be effective in dealing with an unacceptable level of unlawfulness on building sites.

Mr Harnisch said, “The building industry is strongly supportive of the public commitment by the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister to not accept violence and intimidation within the building industry.

“The building industry has enjoyed unprecedented industrial harmony and improvements in productivity following the five years that the ABCC has been in existence. These benefits are measured at $5.5 billion per annum and are particularly important in the current economic circumstances to help the Government’s strategy to lift the Australian economy out of recession.

“The legislation will see many changes to the current powers of the ABCC but there are two particular concerns that the building industry fears will see a substantial weakening of the new industry watchdog from 1 February 2010.

“The powers have been weakened by additional upfront processes for initiating investigations into unlawful behaviour which have the potential to create substantial delays for the new building industry inspectorate to respond to unlawful behaviour on building sites.

“The most controversial weakening of the powers is the introduction of new legislative provisions where the so called coercive powers can be “switched off” in the case where the unions can demonstrate a good track record of lawful behaviour.

“This is unnecessary and could create an industrial quagmire and a new battleground for industrial thuggery. The building unions should have nothing to fear if they behave within the law.”

He said, “The building industry is very concerned that the new legislation could become a Trojan horse for building unions to take their damaging practices of coercion and intimidation back on to building sites around Australia.”