Building watchdog axing will cost jobs, says Peter Dutton

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has attacked Anthony Albanese for scrapping the building industry watchdog and warned it will drive up inflation and construction costs.

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton in question time on Wednesday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Gary Ramage

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has attacked Anthony Albanese for scrapping the building industry watchdog and warned it will drive up inflation and construction costs.

In his first question time since the May 21 election, Mr Dutton ­accused the Prime Minister of putting construction jobs and businesses in jeopardy at a time when home-building costs surge under inflationary pressures.

Coalition attempts to link the government’s decision to shutdown the Australian Building and Construction Commission with a 5.6 per cent jump in building costs – the largest price rise recorded in the June quarter – were batted away by Mr Albanese.

Asked about the influence of the CFMEU in Labor’s decision to abolish the ABCC, Mr Albanese said the Fair Work Ombudsman would continue enforcing bad ­behaviour in the construction sector.

“We come with a very simple principle, which is why should one worker in one sector be treated differently from workers in another sector? If people commit a crime, actions should be taken by the ­appropriate authorities,” Mr Albanese said.

The Prime Minister also pushed back against questions by Mr Dutton and deputy Liberal leader Sussan Ley linking Labor with CFMEU official Gerald McCrudden, who is being pursued by the ABCC over allegations of abusing a female health and safety manager in Victoria.

“I believe if someone commits assault, they should be charged with assault and dealt with. That is what I believe. I have never heard of this bloke. No connection with him,” he said.

“The Federal Court said this about the ABCC and its prosecutions that labelled them unnecessarily inflammatory and conducted as a blood sport.”

In a speech after question time, Mr Dutton said political donations made by the militant construction union had influenced the ABCC shutdown.

“Why would a union give $5m to the Australian Labor Party? Would they expect for $5m that they can pull the strings on those people in the Australian Labor Party? I think they do,” Mr Dutton said.

“That’s the track record. That’s the history of the relationship ­between the CFMEU and the Australian Labor Party.

“When you see the next report on a building site of a female stop-and-go member who’s just there to do her job, being abused by some bikie or by some member of the CFMEU, know that it’s sanctioned by this Prime Minister.”

The parliamentary clash came as construction watchdog head Stephen McBurney rejected claims from Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke that his agency was unfairly pursuing workers over the display of union stickers on hard hats or the flying of Eureka flags.

The ABCC Commissioner ­accepted the government’s mandate to abolish the agency but questioned accusations from Labor and the unions that the watchdog had pursued workers for the display of union logos.

“I struggle to follow this aspect of the argument,” Mr McBurney told the ABC.

“We’ve been accused of pursuing workers for penalties for sticking stickers on hard hats.

“We’ve not had one prosecution … to do with stickers, to do with flags.

“This is what’s so frustrating for our staff.

“A worker cannot be pursued for this. A union cannot be pursued for this.”

Mr McBurney said only a head contractor or a subcontractor could be pursued over the display of union paraphernalia.

“There is only one solitary case dealing with this issue and it’s a case we won in the Federal Court,” he said.

He also pushed back against suggestions that the ABCC had “hounded” unions, arguing that the agency had put a substantial number of matters before the courts and emerged with a 90 per cent success rate.