Nigel Hadgkiss quits role as leader of the Australian Building and Construction Commission

BREAKING: A senior figure in the ABCC has quit after he admitted breaching workplace laws.

Nigel Hadgkiss appearing at a hearing into the Fair Work Building and Construction at Parliament House in Canberra

THE head of the Turnbull government’s building watchdog has resigned after he admitted to contravening the Fair Work Act.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash announced Nigel Hadgkiss’ decision to leave the Australian Building and Construction Commission ahead of a civil penalty hearing in the Federal Court on Friday.

“The government thanks Mr Hadgkiss for his service and wishes him well in his future endeavours,” she said in a statement on Wednesday.

Mr Hadgkiss’ departure is a major blow for the Turnbull government, which has had unions, especially in the building and construction sector, in its sights.

In court documents, reported in The Australian, Mr Hadgkiss admitted that in December 2013 he directed that Labor government changes to right-of-entry laws - which were due to come into effect in January 2014 - not be published by the agency.

The coalition won the federal election in September 2013, promising to repeal the laws.

Mr Hadgkiss met two senior staff on December 19, 2013, directing no changes be made to agency educational material to reflect the law because he believed it would be changed.

Unions had called for Mr Hadgkiss to be sacked over the incident for not upholding the laws he was authorised to enforce.

Fairwork Building Commission commissioner Nigel Hadgkiss has announced he is leaving his role. Pic Annette Dew

Mr Hadgkiss admitted to contravening section 503(1) of the Fair Work Act, which says a person must not take action with the intention of giving the impression, “or reckless as to whether the impression is given, that the doing of a thing is authorised” when it is not.

Labor workplace spokesman Brendan O’Connor told AAP that Senator Cash needed to come clean on what the government knew of the regulator’s “intentional breach of the rule of law over a three-year period”.

“She must accept responsibility and ensure the public that no taxpayer money was used to defend Mr Hadgkiss throughout his controversial time in his position,” he said.

“Mr Hadgkiss has fallen on his sword. Will the minister take responsibility and do the same?”

More to come.

Originally published as Nigel Hadgkiss quits role as leader of the Australian Building and Construction Commission