Q&A: Jacqui Lambie will be voting no to re-establishing the ABCC

Jacqui Lambie confirms she will not support the government’s push to re-establish building watchdog the ABCC | WATCH

Jacqui Lambie has confirmed she will not support the government’s push to re-establish the building industry watchdog, saying it has “more holes in it than the target at the shooting range.”

Speaking on the ABC’s Q&A program, the independent Tasmanian senator added she would not be “blackmailed” by Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull’s surprise move to recall parliament in order to force the senate to vote on the Australian Building and Construction Commission bills.

“I will be voting no to the ABCC,” she said. “I will be quite honest — I will not be blackmailed. I will not have a gun held to my head. That is not the way to play politics. As for my seat, that is up to the people of Tasmania. If they don’t want me up here keeping the b****rds honest, then that’s what they want from me.”

.@JacquiLambie says Tasmanians will decide @JoshFrydenberg says ABCC goes to the heart of productivity #QandA https://t.co/IlouatX1HM

— ABC Q&A (@QandA) March 21, 2016

Ms Lambie, whose popularity in her home state could see her keep her seat in a double dissolution election under new Senate voting changes, said she’s looked at the proposals put forward by the Turnbull government to deal with corruption in the construction industry.

“I’ve spent a lot of time on the ABCC … They have numerous problems with this. It has more holes in it than the target at the shooting range,” she said.

The Trade Union Royal Commission’s secret volumes, which Ms Lambie told the live audience she had seen, hadn’t convinced her.

“I don’t know what the Royal Commissioner is trying to pull here, but there is nothing that even resembles a grave threat to the power and authority of the Australian states,” she said.

“I can tell you what is contained in those secret reports. There is nothing there that is not normal that happens on the outside and in other places, whether that’s even what’s going on in our banking and finance sector, whether it’s going on in our sport.

“So for $80 million, I have to ask what the Australian people have actually received here.”

The minster for resources and energy, Josh Frydenberg, defended the policy and the prime minister’s move to call a July 2 election if the legislation isn’t passed.

“This is an important economic reform,” he told the program. “This goes right at the heart of the productivity of the Australian economy, about incentivising investment. I think this is extremely important and the PM now in a very decisive act has put the pressure back on the Senate.”

Mr Frydenberg indicated the government may be willing to amend the legislation when it’s debated in April.

“Michaelia Cash is the minister responsible and has been a staunch advocate for this reform,” he said. “(She) has said she is prepared to negotiate in good faith, so he we are not closing down any doors.”