‘No to dodgy unions’: Crisafulli’s plan to tackle CFMEU

The CFMEU’s days of running the state government will come to a grinding halt under the LNP, with David Crisafulli also vowing to work with “law abiding’’ unions.

CFMEU members during a rally. Picture: Peter Carruthers

The CFMEU’s days of running the state government will come to a grinding halt under the LNP, with leader David Crisafulli also vowing to work with “law abiding’’ unions.

“They will no longer run the government (if the LNP is elected). It’s a good starting point,’’ he said.

“We’re going to remove the 24-hour right of entry provision.

“We’re going to have the Productivity Commission, once re-established, do an assessment of the building industry, and that involves the days of a militant union driving down productivity being a thing of the past.

“We’re going to remove the CFMEU people from government boards.’’

Mr Crisafulli, responding to a question from The Courier-Mail reader Phil Myers of Banyo, said Labor had caved into the militant union.

After promising reforms, he said Premier Steven Miles had not removed the union’s members from government boards.

But he vowed to work with “law abiding’’ unions in good faith to make sure that workers were well paid and safe at work, while ensuring productivity was lifted and contracts honoured.

“We do not believe the CFMEU forms part of a modern Queensland,’’ he said.

“And only we can say that, because if I am elected premier I will owe Queenslanders and not dodgy unions.’’

But Mr Miles said his government had supported the intervention of the federal government into the CFMEU.

When asked Mr Myers’ question “what will happen to CFMEU powers under your government?’’, he said he had been consistent in insisting there was no room for “threats or intimidation’’.

“But there is a strong role for a union on our building work sites, our construction work sites, to ensure that they are appropriately paid and safe, and I will always support that,’’ he said.

Originally published as ‘No to dodgy unions’: Crisafulli’s plan to tackle CFMEU