WA to toughen building industry regulations following criminality exposed in unions in other states
Western Australia will toughen its building industry regulations by enforcing a "fit and proper person" test for union representatives seeking access to worksites but won't hand back donations from the embattled CFMEU. Premier Roger Cook maintains there is no evidence of the alleged criminality exposed in other states, prompting the Opposition to accuse him of living in a "fool's paradise."
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00:00Back from leave, the Premier called an impromptu media conference.
00:06Good afternoon. Apologies for being a bit late.
00:08Keen to prevent a political inferno on the east coast,
00:11sparked by allegations of criminality within the CFMEU, spreading west.
00:16I announce that my government will legislate to introduce a fit and proper person test
00:22for any union official seeking a right of entry permit under the state industrial relations system.
00:29Existing right of entry permits could also be suspended or revoked.
00:33While I have seen no clear evidence of east coast conduct here in WA,
00:37I am concerned that a current CFMEU official,
00:41who is facing serious criminal charges related to a violent home invasion,
00:45has a right to enter WA worksites.
00:48Former Sword Boy gang member turned union official, Edmund Margini,
00:52is due to stand trial on four charges relating to an alleged attack on a woman
00:57while armed with a machete in 2011.
00:59In no uncertain terms, the Premier is living in a fool's paradise
01:04if he thinks that the same issues don't exist in the WA branch of the CFMEU.
01:09The Master Builders Association says it's received reports of coercion and trespassing on worksites,
01:15but nothing on the scale of the east coast.
01:18And it welcomes the proposed changes.
01:21That reduces the opportunities for the type of coercive behaviour that has been reported to us.
01:30There will be no immediate action against any union official though,
01:34as the proposed changes are unlikely to become law until at least the beginning of the year,
01:39with the Premier saying he hopes they pass Parliament by Christmas.