Murray Watt set to rush CFMEU bill through Senate

Labor will seek to have the bill fast-tracked by Thursday as the Coalition and construction employers split over the changes.

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt will seek to get the CFMEU bill passed by the Senate on Thursday. Picture: NewsWire / Martin Ollman

Labor will seek to have the CFMEU administration bill fast-tracked through the Senate by Thursday as the Coalition and construction employers split over the changes, with Master Builders Australia rejecting the opposition’s call for a Senate inquiry.

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt will table a motion on Wednesday seeking to have the bill passed by the Senate on Thursday, and the government wants the bill passed by the House of Representatives the same day or early next week.

The Greens have also expressed concerns about the bill, including that it could leave Michaelia Cash in charge of the union if there were a change of government at the next election.

Senator Watt said the Thursday vote was a test of how serious the Coalition and Greens were about stamping out organised crime, bullying and thuggery in the construction industry.

While the Coalition is expected to ultimately support the bill, Senator Cash, the opposition employment spokeswoman, is pushing for a short Senate inquiry into the changes.

But MBA CEO Denita Wawn said “every day counts” and the bill should be passed this week, or next week at the latest, in order to get the administrator appointed “to resolve the problems we have been facing for decades”.

“There is no need for a Senate committee on this issue. We know the reasoning behind the legislation, that has been obvious to the Australian public for the last couple of weeks now,” she told Sky News. “This week is all about the administrator, and that is what we’re saying to the Coalition. Pass this legislation now, the industry does not want an inquiry. Get on with it.”

Responding to Ms Wawn’s comments, Senator Cash said the opposition was “not going to apologise for scrutinising legislation appropriately”.

“The CFMEU disaster is a disaster of Labor’s own creation and now some people believe Labor has all the answers to fix this. We strongly disagree,” she said.

“Most stakeholders we’ve spoken to, including many members of the MBA, have made it clear that we need to get this legislation right and they do not want to give Murray Watt a blank cheque.

“A short Senate inquiry into how the administrator will operate will assist in ensuring they will be given appropriate powers and resources to ensure the CFMEU is cleaned up.”

The ALP caucus on Tuesday endorsed three key amendments to the bill related to whistleblower protections, complaint procedures while the union was under administration and a new measure ensuring that any officers removed from the union during administration would be barred from acting as bargaining agents for a period of five years.

There was a range of questions from Labor MPs clarifying that the administrator would need to act in the best interests of union members and that, following the three-year administration period, the powers to appoint a minister would sunset unless extended by the parliament.

Meanwhile, the Health Services Union suspended Victorian branch secretary Diana Asmar as senior vice-president. She has refused to quit as state secretary.

The Fair Work Commission is investigating more than $180,000 in donations made by the then John Setka-led Victorian CFMEU to a printing company, which the union described as donations for the “in-house election” of Ms Asmar. Senator Watt said last week it was in the interests of union members that she step down, and he would support any action taken by the commission over the allegations.

“The broader HSU is deeply concerned by the allegations of impropriety against the Health Workers Union and … Diana Asmar, by the Fair Work Commission and reported in the media,” HSU national secretary Lloyd Williams said.