Fair Work Building and Construction’s Nigel Hadgkiss quits

Building industry regulator boss Nigel Hadgkiss has ­abruptly stepped aside, citing an unspecified illness.

Nigel Hadgkiss, director of Fair Work Building and Construction, has taken leave. Picture: Sam Rosewarne

Building industry regulator boss Nigel Hadgkiss, who has spearheaded the Coalition’s pursuit of the construction union, has ­abruptly stepped aside, citing an unspecified illness.

Mr Hadgkiss, director of Fair Work Building and Construction, wrote an early morning email to staff yesterday declaring his ­intention to retire — only to reverse the decision hours later after deciding to take “extended leave”.

Mr Hadgkiss, a former officer in the Australian Federal Police and the NSW Department of Public Prosecutions, has left open the option of returning to the post.

In his initial email, which he is understood to have sent before ­arriving at his office, Mr Hadgkiss explained that he was taken to hospital by ambulance last month and diagnosed with a medical condition “which I regret to say has not improved”.

“I suffered a relapse on Friday,” he wrote. “Having discussed the matter with my wife, I feel it is best for the agency and the condition of my ongoing health that I retire as director.”

However, in a process branded “shambolic” by Labor, a spokesman for FWBC confirmed hours later that Mr Hadgkiss “reconsidered” his decision on advice from colleagues.

Staff received a second email from Mr Hadgkiss yesterday afternoon, stating: “You would be aware that earlier today I had ­expressed an intention to retire ... As an alternative to retirement, I have since decided to take a ­period of extended personal leave with the minister’s approval.”

Mr Hadgkiss said he would take leave “to assist my recovery and determine whether I would be fit to return to work”.

Employment Minister Michaelia Cash approved “personal leave” for Mr Hadgkiss for “a ­period”, a spokesman said, adding that Mr Hadgkiss’s replacement “will be confirmed in due course”.

FWBC chief counsel Brian Corney acted in the role when Mr Hadgkiss, 65, took holidays and is thought likely to be appointed as acting director.

Labor, which has aggressively pursued Mr Hadgkiss’s administration of the agency during Senate estimates hearings, yesterday said the situation was “embarrassing and farcical”. “Something very strange has happened today and Labor doesn’t believe the public has been told the full story,” opposition workplace relations spokesman Brendan O’Connor said.

FWBC has launched an onslaught of litigation against the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union and in August reported it had a record 52 cases before courts across Australia.

Of those, 46 were against the CFMEU, more at any one time than the FWBC’s predecessor agencies, the Building Industry Taskforce and the Australian Building and Construction Commission. In its annual report, FWBC reported 948 cases of laws being broken on worksites and said it fielded 859 ­“requests for ­assistance” flowing from industrial disputes in the past three months.

Mr Hadgkiss was appointed director of FWBC by former prime minister Tony Abbott and former workplace relations minister Eric Abetz. Mr Abbott bestowed coercive powers on the watchdog, which was created by the previous Labor government after scrapping the ABCC.