WA CFMEU branch put on notice with Federal push for administration

A senior Federal Government minister says proposed new laws forcing the CFMEU to accept an administrator will be used in WA — “if it is in the public interest”. On the eve of the Albanese Government introducing new laws into the Parliament that would give Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt new powers to force any CFMEU branch to be taken over by an administrator, he made it clear nowhere was exempt. “The proposed legislation would allow me to decide to put any branch of the construction and general division of the CFMEU into administration, if it was in the public interest,” Mr Watt told The Sunday Times. “This includes the WA branch.” There have been allegations the union engaged in bullying, intimidation and had allowed outlaw motorcycle gang members to act as delegates on large projects in the Eastern States. This led the Fair Work Commission to file a court application to appoint barrister Mark Irving to act as an administrator for the CFMEU in Victoria, Tasmania, NSW, Queensland, the Northern Territory and South Australia. The remaining divisional branches in WA and the Australian Capital Territory have so far been excluded from that. But the construction union has refused to consent, with the Federal Government then deciding to bring to Parliament new laws that would give Mr Watt the power to appoint an administrator to any CFMEU branch. “The Coalition must not stand in the way of an attempt at administration, and support the swift passage of our legislation when Parliament returns on Monday,” he said. Liberal senator Michaelia Cash wants the CFMEU deregistered, and on Saturday accused Mr Watt of “pretending he’s getting tough on them”. “The Albanese Government needs to introduce legislation to deregister the CFMEU when Parliament returns next week,” Senator Cash said. “They also need to admit their abolition of the ABCC (Australian Building and Construction Commission) has been a disaster and should immediately commit to reinstate the ABCC with increased powers to police the industry. “Anything less would add to the already weak response this Government has had to the crisis engulfing the CFMEU.” In addition to the new laws and Fair Work Commission action, Labor’s national executive has also cut ties with the construction division in an effort to distance itself from the troubled union. Last month, the national executive ruled to block donations and suspended the construction division’s affiliation with the NSW, Victoria, South Australia and Tasmanian branches. Once again, WA was not included. So far, calls from the WA Liberal Party for Premier Roger Cook to also cut ties with the CFMEU have been rejected. The union has donated $25,000 to the WA Labor Party since July 1, but Mr Cook has ignored calls from the Liberals to hand the money back. In response to allegations about underworld figures being given lucrative positions on the east coast, Mr Cook is toughening building regulations, including new reforms for a “fit and proper person” test for union representatives seeking access to worksites. “We have supported every action taken by the Federal Government and the Fair Work Commission, and we will continue to,” Mr Cook said. “As I always said, I won’t hesitate to take further action if necessary.“ In The Sunday Times, the CFMEU has taken out a full page ad under the slogan “CFMEU Western Australia: Here for Good”.