CFMEU ‘ice’ ad cops a caning from legal experts
A TV ad that says ice dealers have more rights than construction workers has been branded ‘nonsense’.
A prime-time TV ad that claims ice dealers have more rights than construction workers prosecuted by the Coalition’s proposed watchdog has been branded “nonsense” and rubbished by legal experts.
Employment Minister Michaelia Cash lambasted the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union, which paid for the 30-second advertisement, for “scaremongering” after it was accused of conflating criminal and civil proceedings.
Legal experts said the ad, which aired this month as parliament debated a Coalition bill to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission watchdog, was based on a “flawed” comparison.
Andrew Goldsmith, professor in criminal justice at Flinders University, told ABC News’s Fact Check website the ad “equates two processes with distinct purposes. ABCC examinations … gather information from witnesses in relation to construction workplace activities whereas an interview with a criminal suspect (collects) evidence for criminal prosecution”.
Federal Labor yesterday defended the TV commercial.
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