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‘Complete joke’: Former building cops urge ABCC’s return

Phillip Coorey, Ronald Mizen and Gus McCubbing

Updated Jul 21, 2024 – 2.51pm, first published at 2.21pm

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Two former Australian Building and Construction Commission bosses have rubbished claims by the Victorian and other Labor governments that they were unaware of CFMEU thuggery, and backed the immediate return of the watchdog with increased powers.

John Lloyd and Nigel Hadgkiss backed calls by business groups and the Opposition that a permanent independent regulator would be needed to prevent a relapse by the CFMEU, or whatever construction union replaced it.

Phillip Coorey is the political editor based in Canberra. He is a two-time winner of the Paul Lyneham award for press gallery excellence.

Ronald Mizen is the Financial Review’s political correspondent, reporting from the press gallery at Parliament House, Canberra.

Gus McCubbing is a journalist at the Australian Financial Review in Melbourne.