The allegations against the Victorian branch of the CFMEU are causing political waves in the ACT. Police say they are not aware of any significant allegations against the local union branch, but the Canberra Liberals and Master Builders Association has been called for ACT Labor to reject a proposal to give the CFMEU additional powers over territory government procurement processes.
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00:00For opposition leader Elizabeth Lee, even the question of union influence over decision
00:07makers should have the Chief Minister up in arms, especially in light of the contract
00:12they awarded to upgrade Campbell Primary School to the more expensive of two bidders in 2020,
00:18which is now the key focus of an ongoing Integrity Commission investigation.
00:23These are incredibly serious issues that have been aired within the Integrity Commission
00:30inquiry, and so I think that the Canberra community have every right to ask some serious
00:36questions.
00:37The ACT's Secure Local Jobs Code requires businesses seeking government contracts to
00:44provide evidence they meet tax, superannuation, work health and safety and fair work obligations.
00:50In a motion for the upcoming ACT Labor Conference, the CFMEU argues unions must play a greater
00:56role in that process so that unscrupulous employers are not able to game the system
01:02and undermine Labor conditions in the ACT, and are calling for expanded powers to enable
01:07unions to investigate and prosecute suspected breaches of the Code by a Code-certified entity.
01:13It's a role the opposition thinks existing bodies like the Auditor-General and Integrity
01:18Commission should fill.
01:20In what universe does the Canberra community have any confidence that a union, if given
01:27additional powers, is going to actually do what these bodies are meant to be doing?
01:35The CFMEU declined to comment, but in a statement unions' ACT argued ensuring compliance with
01:41laws that protect minimum standards is some of the core work of unions, and any expansion
01:46of the Code would strengthen protections for workers.
01:50Chief Minister Andrew Barr also released a statement in which he condemned the alleged
01:54behaviour of the CFMEU's Victoria and Tasmania branch, but emphasised there are no allegations
01:59of wrongdoing against the ACT branch.
02:02He says the union's proposal isn't an ACT Labor position and isn't being considered
02:06by government, with all motions at the party's conference subject to amendments.