The head of the building industry watchdog has rejected claims his agency was obsessed with prosecuting cases over union stickers or posters on work sites, claiming there was “not one” investigation or prosecution over the issue.

The Australian Building and Construction Commission chief, Stephen McBurney, told ABC Radio National on Wednesday that his agency was not consulted ahead of Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke announcing on Sunday he would scrap most of the federal building code, which prohibits restrictive conditions in union agreements.