23 October 2012
THE chief executive of Fair Work Building Construction (FWBC) will today tell a room of resource industry employers that the government’s new construction industry watchdog should be supported as it holds to account unlawful union behaviour on Australian building projects.
FWBC chief Leigh Johns will address the AREEA West Coast Conference on the topic “Regulation in the Building and Construction Industry: Then, Now and the Future”.
Following industry’s widespread criticism of the Gillard Government’s move to abolish the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), Johns aims to address myths and facts surrounding the new agency and its powers.
“The factual conclusion is that FWBC is investigating more unlawful industrial action and coercion matters than in the past – not less. At the same time we are investigating a wider range of other matters,” Johns will tell the audience at 10.20am today.
“FWBC shares a lot of common ground with AREEA and its members. We all want to see good workplace relations practices in place that allow projects to be delivered on time, on budget, with no disruption. We all want to see confident investment and stable growth. We want fair and productive building and construction workplaces.
“FWBC is ready and willing to stand with you, AREEA members, shoulder to shoulder, to build the capacity of the building and construction industry to be the best it can be, productive and fair, for the benefit of not only those in the industry, but all Australians.
“It is important for industry to back the new regulator and to work with it as it did with the ABCC. Together FWBC and industry can be co-producers of much public value.”
National resource employer group AREEA has expressed concerns that FWBC will be less effective than its predecessor, the ABCC, in holding militant construction unions to account for damaging and illegal
behaviour.
AREEA chief executive Steve Knott welcomed the tough stance displayed by FWBC earlier this month, in which it was successful in prosecuting the CEPU, the CFMEU and the latter’s notorious repeat offender, Joe McDonald.
“AREEA members in the construction and resources-related construction sectors have been very concerned about the rise in militant industrial activity by construction unions since the ABCC was replaced with the FWBC,” Mr Knott said.
“While industry will still advocate for the return of all of the ABCC’s investigation and prosecution powers, regardless of the title of the inspectorate, the recent successful outcomes show FWBC will be holding construction unions accountable for unlawful and thuggish activity.
“We must maintain Australia’s international reputation as a great place to invest in projects, employ people and work. Our members are very much looking forward to hearing from Leigh Johns about how will provide certainty for more than $500 billion of resources projects in Australia’s pipeline.”
FWBC chief executive Leigh Johns will be addressing delegates at the AREEA West Coast Conference on Wednesday, October 24. Media are welcome to attend. Click here for the full conference program.
MEDIA: Click here for a PDF of this media release including relevant media contact.
