ACT Police Minister quits over alleged leak to CFMEU

ACT Police Minister Joy Burch has resigned over claims she passed on information to a powerful union boss.

ACT Labor faces calls to cut its ­“financial and political” ties with the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union after the territory’s Police Minister, Joy Burch, resigned over claims she passed on information to a powerful union boss.

Ms Burch quit the portfolio last night amid a police investigation into a briefing her office gave to CFMEU ACT secretary Dean Hall about a meeting between the minister and the territory’s chief police officer Rudi Lammers.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr said Ms Burch had resigned “following yesterday’s announcement by ACT Policing that it will evaluate the veracity of allegations relating to Minister Burch’s office”.

“It is important to be clear that, based on advice I have, there is no suggestion of any wrongdoing by Minister Burch,” Mr Barr said.

Ms Burch stepped aside immediately, with Deputy Chief Minister Simon Corbell taking on the Police and Emergency ­Services portfolio until a reshuffle next year.

However, Ms Burch remains Education Minister, despite heavy criticism of her handling of a case where an autistic child was locked in a cage in a Canberra school.

Ms Burch’s office said this week the CFMEU complained about ACT police clashes with unionists on building sites, and Ms Burch raised the concerns with Mr Lammers at a meeting.

Ms Burch’s chief of staff, Maria Hawthorn, who also quit this week, allegedly passed on details of the meeting to the union.

Opposition Leader Jeremy Hanson criticised Mr Barr’s decision to leave Ms Burch in the Legislative Assembly’s cabinet.

“Andrew Barr’s failure to stand up to Labor’s factions and the CFMEU further erodes the integrity of his government and is to the detriment of our community,” Mr Hanson said.

He called on Mr Barr to “sack Ms Burch and cut financial and political ties with the CFMEU”.

Ms Burch said she remained “committed to making a contribution to this government’’.

“As the police have said, the ACT government does not direct ACT Policing in relation to how it undertakes its operational ­activity, and did not do so on the occasion that has been the subject of recent public attention,’’ she said. “It is nonetheless entirely ­appropriate that I step aside from this portfolio while ACT Policing conducts its evaluation.’’