Miles Government secretly asking CFMEU for advice on big projects

Premier Steven Miles has been accused of running a protection racket for the CFMEU as Labor’s secret dealings with the militant union are exposed.

The state government is secretly referring businesses to the militant CFMEU for its “advice or concerns” about whether contractors should be allowed to work on major projects.

The Saturday Courier-Mail can reveal the government is asking members of its Building Industry Reference group to provide “advice or concerns” about businesses who have applied for a qualification to allow them to receive contracts.

Staggeringly, 24 stakeholders – including the CFMEU, Australian Workers’ Union and Electrical Trades Union – have the ability to recommend to the government what companies could meet its Best Practice Principles requirements.

That qualification is needed to work on projects worth above $100m, or others declared BPP projects.

Critics argue seeking external feedback from unions is a breach of the state government’s independence and questioned its motivation.

Members of the group are asked to provide “industry intelligence” about contractors, but told it “does not provide or imply a power of veto by any member … and the department remains the decision-maker”.

However, the government said it wanted their input to ensure it does business with only “ethical, qualified and experienced companies”.

The CFMEU are part of the Building Industry Reference group. Picture: AAP/Julian Andrews

One business owner, speaking in confidence out of fear of retribution, noted the CFMEU’s history of “standover tactics” with companies.

Civil Contractors Federation boss Damian Long described the policy as “wrong” and said the government had eroded its independence.

“The government has to work to strict probity, the independence of government decisions is sacrament – they must be independent,” he said.

“To go outside of government to get subjective opinion to select contractors for government work absolutely erodes that independence.

“The motivation for it is under question.

“The government sets the criteria and they must assess, with integrity and independence, contractors against their criteria, it doesn’t matter who they go to – it’s just wrong.”

The government’s website does not reveal businesses’ applications are being sent to unions for their feedback.

It claims the reference group has only been established to “seek advice, support and feedback on proposed initiatives”.

Housing Minister Megan Scanlon.

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli. Picture: NewsWire / John Gass

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon insisted stakeholders could not veto a contractor’s application.

“The group – which consists of various peak bodies like Master Builders – plays no role in the procurement of works, and is not invited to comment on specific government projects and those tendering,” she said. “It does not make any decisions, nor does it have the power to.”

Opposition Leader David Crisafulli on Friday slammed the state government’s relationship with “one militant union that’s running riot”.

“I say one militant union because there’s only one acronym that keeps coming up,” he said.

“The reason why the government won’t call it out is because they are owned by them.

“For the Premier of this state not only to not even be able to condemn the CFMEU but to run a protection racket shows that he only sits in that chair because they put him there and he does their bidding for them rather than for Queenslanders.”

Mr Crisafulli said under his government a new Productivity Commission would drive change in the construction sector.

“The vast majority of unions in this state want their workers to be well paid, go to work safe and come home in one piece, but they also want to know that the job they’re working on is viable,” he said.

“Unions are an important part of an industrial relation mix.”

Originally published as Miles Government secretly asking CFMEU for advice on big projects