Editorial: CFMEU tax contributing to blowouts

Building costs are blowing out across the world, but in Queensland we also have what has been dubbed the “CFMEU tax” to contend with, writes the editor.

Building costs are blowing out across the world, but in Queensland we also have what has been dubbed the “CFMEU tax” to contend with.

As revealed in today’s Courier-Mail at least a dozen of the state government’s signature major health projects have been delayed by up to two-and-a-half years or have experienced cost blowouts totalling more than $50 million.

Those figures are revealed in documents released under Right to Information to the Opposition.

Health Minister Shannon Fentiman says she has always been upfront about the pressures facing the construction sector.

And she’s right – the government as a whole has not shied away from talking about those pressures, attributing the issues to a range of blowouts and infrastructure delays across departments.

The Queensland government is not alone in this respect, but where this state does stand out is the added pressure of the government’s Best Practice Industry Conditions policy.

This controversial policy forces contractors and unions to negotiate agreements on state civil construction projects worth more than $100 million.

Industry insiders have claimed this is artificially driving up wages and slashing productivity.

Last year The Courier-Mail reported that under the so-called CFMEU tax industry figures fear state-funded projects are being driven up as much as 30 per cent, with traffic controllers and labourers being paid up to $200,000 on some sites.

The government must address this issue to ensure it is not adding to the pressures already being felt in the construction industry.

Because what is important now is that the pressures are managed in a way that presents bang for buck for Queenslanders – and also addresses the gaps in the health system that are resulting in lengthy wait times for surgeries, and emergency department ramping issues.

And Queenslanders must be kept up to date every step of the way, even if it is bad news for the government.

This includes delays to the delivery of major projects, which, as we report today, are averaging more than two years on a dozen sites.

Most Queenslanders understand the cost to build major projects is not what it was before the pandemic – and in the scheme of things a $50 million blowout on a $2 billion suite of works is not without precedent – but they won’t cop any kind of policy that makes a difficult situation even worse.

GAMBLE PAYS OFF IN VEGAS

Rugby league has never seen anything like it.

People laughed when ARLC boss Peter V’landys and NRL head Andrew Abdo declared the sport would break down the door to the American market by taking over Las Vegas, but on Sunday, for a few magical hours, it actually did it.

Broncos fans may be a little disappointed at the 20-10 defeat at the hands of the Roosters, but the silver lining is the bigger picture.

This was one of the most significant moments in the history of “the greatest game of all”.

Up there with the first State of Origin game back in 1980.

Many people tipped that bold experiment to fail, too.

While it is unlikely the NRL’s presence in the US will convince Americans to instantly give up their own sports, that isn’t the true measure of success here.

The 40,746 people who made up the crowd at Allegiant Stadium were overwhelmingly Aussies, with some ex-pats and thousands of Australians who had incorporated the NRL’s bold international experiment into their own travel plans.

Aussies love the States and Las Vegas as a holiday destination anyway. About 350,000 Australians travel there every year.

And this is the genius of the location V’landys chose to showcase rugby league to the US.

By having this regular event thousands more will be convinced to make the trip and their passion will turn the heads of the locals.

But perhaps most importantly, this buries any inferiority complex our great game may have suffered from.

We dream big and pull off the impossible. We have an international presence.

The AFL tried to crack the international market with games in London and Shanghai of all places. It all looked a bit cheap and provincial. But Vegas is different. By rotating the double-header between all the NFL clubs new supporter groups will be tempted every year.

This is a sustainable model that – like Origin and the finals – will become another showpiece of our game. Everyone associated with this bold experiment, from V’landys and Abdo to the players and support staff, deserve to be congratulated.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here

Originally published as Editorial: CFMEU tax contributing to blowouts