CFMEU’s Richie Hassett calls for Tasmanians to be given jobs on Mac Point stadium
The Macquarie Point stadium is yet to get planning approval but a key union is pleading for locals to be employed on the project. Find out why.
Tasmania
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The CFMEU is pressuring the government to ensure Tasmanian workers have priority for jobs on the Macquarie Point stadium and that they get paid the same as interstate workers on the project.
Business, Industry and Resources Minister Eric Abetz agrees that local workers should have a pathway to work on “this once in a lifetime opportunity”.
CFMEU Tasmanian secretary Richie Hassett believes more than 80 per cent of contractors for the stadium will be from interstate
“The union’s focus is to ensure local workers get first crack, and we call on the government to come out in support of this position unlike what we have seen on the Bridgewater Bridge and Royal Hobart Hospital previously where interstate and foreign workers have been given preference,” he said.
“People need to understand that there aren’t contractors in the state that have the infrastructure or the workforce to go and build a stadium.
“There just isn’t anyone, there’s nobody.
“I haven’t come across a contractor, other than perhaps Hazel Brothers for the civil project that actually are really interested in a stadium.
“Everyone I talk to within the industry says it’s the worst spot on the planet to build one.”
Mr Abetz said the government was committed to ensuring Tasmanians benefit from the stadium’s construction.
“We have been working closely with the Macquarie Point Corporation and industry to develop a workforce strategy for the delivery of the project, ensuring that there is a pathway in place for local workers to be part of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to deliver a brand-new stadium for Hobart,” he said.
“As part of our 2030 Strong Plan for Tasmania’s Future, we have further strengthened our Buy Local policy to ensure that local businesses are given every opportunity to be successful in securing work on Government projects.”
Mr Hassett said Tasmanian workers must be paid the same as their interstate colleagues.
“There is no reason why a Tasmanian construction worker that is fortunate enough to get a start on the project should be paid less while working on the same project as interstaters,” he said.
”There’s a large contingent of overseas workers working on the Bridgewater Bridge and
there’s no reason why that work couldn’t have been done by locals.”
Mr Hassett said while Tasmanian pay rates “have moved significantly”, there was “still a big gap” of probably $10 an hour between a Victorian subcontractor and a Tasmanian subcontractor.
He said Victorian contractors also worked a 36 hour week compared to 38 hours in Tasmania.
Unions Tasmania secretary Jessica Munday says pay parity is a priority.
“Too many Tasmanian workers, both in the public and private sectors, are paid less than workers doing the same job on the mainland,” she said.
“It’s unfair and frankly insulting to have two people working side by side and having the Tasmanian worker paid less.”
Ms Munday also wants to see Tasmanians given priority for employment on the stadium saying it presented an opportunity “to plan so that this project builds the skills and pipeline of construction workers for years to come”.
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