Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia attacks Premier Peter Malinauskas over CFMEU

Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia has targeted his rival over the militant CFMEU during his debut parliamentary performance.

Newly installed Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia has branded his rival a “union boss Premier that has lost control of the union movement” as he warned of the militant CFMEU “holding South Australian construction projects to ransom”.

In his debut question time as Liberal leader, Mr Tarzia tried to saddle Mr Malinauskas to the disgraced construction union, accusing him of confusion about whether a police review the Premier ordered was “criminal in nature” or not.

The new-look Liberal front bench on Tuesday afternoon peppered Labor with questions on soaring energy prices, average water bills rising by $85 annually, bleak employment projections and Labor’s 2022 delay in handing back a $125,000 CFMEU donation.

Mr Tarzia delivered a more spirited performance than his predecessor David Speirs, who quit the leadership on August 8, declaring he’d “had a gutful” of being undermined and lacked the energy to fight on.

Mr Tarzia told parliament there were fears sweeping the state that the CFMEU was and would continue to hold major construction projects to ransom, alleging cost blowouts in the $3.2bn Women’s and Children’s Hospital and the $15.4bn Torrens to Darlington South Rd tunnels project.

Vincent Tarzia has had a fiery debut during his first question time as Opposition Leader. Image/Russell Millard Photography

Mr Tarzia cited The Advertiser’s August 1 revelation that the CFMEU was applying a 10-15 per cent premium to Adelaide construction projects, adding millions of dollars to cost.

“Whether it’s the new hospital down the road (the WCH), whether it’s the North South Corridor – look at the comments of the minister and what he said two years ago – now you see a very, very different picture,” Mr Tarzia said.

“And that is because protests are happening across the state and country today. Get ready for disruption. Get ready for cost blowouts. Get ready for delays. because the CFMEU are here and they are going to make an example of the Labor Party.

“They’re going to make an example and unfortunately, it’s the taxpayers of South Australia that are going to pay.”

Opposition Leader Vincent Tarzia attacks the Labor government on Tuesday. Picture: /Russell Millard Photography

Asked about health construction projects being delayed, Mr Malinauskas said he had received no advice “that work is anything but on track”.

Mr Malinauskas said he had in July asked Police Commissioner Grant Stevens to investigate any links between the CFMEU and bikie gangs in South Australia after reports emerged of rogue conduct interstate.

Mr Malinauskas said he had not received any advice that suggested any link but assumed police would continue their work and make a public statement, if appropriate.

“Anybody that is familiar with my view and my industrial philosophy throughout my time in the Labor movement will know that I have been a strong supporter of taking the harshest possible action against the CFMEU and that has resulted, of course, in their administration,” he said.