Topics: CFMEU 

 

E&OE   

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

The Labor Party is today expected to halt donations from the CFMEU following shocking allegations of criminal misbehavior. CFMEU branches will be placed under administration and suspended from the ACTU. While the Federal Government has also asked the Federal Police to help state counterparts investigate corruption allegations. Angus Taylor is the Shadow Treasurer. And he's our guest this morning. Angus Taylor, welcome. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Good to be with you, PK.  

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

Advocates and groups, including the Master Builders Association have welcomed the government's action on the CFMEU to put its branches into administration. Why don't you think that's a good option? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Well, the government needs to go further is the point we are making. And in particular, they should be deregistering the CFMEU, they should be reinstating the ABCC which was put in place to deal with exactly this kind of behaviour. And in the process, they should be ensuring that workers are able to get representation from other unions, and there'll be competition to represent workers. But the CFMEU is clearly not up to the job right now. And they're holding all of us to ransom. And the truth is that when roads are built, when houses are built, and hospitals are built, taxpayers and consumers have to pay for that. And when you have a union that is rotten to the core, with allegations with this level of seriousness, we all pay a high price for it. So it's appropriate that they take strong action. The Prime Minister is showing his weakness yet again. He should be strong, he should do exactly what Bob Hawke did in the 1980s... 

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

Ok, let's go to that. Because I talked to the Master Builders Association about that Bob Hawke action. And what is clear is that the Master Builders argue that actually deregistration didn't solve the problem. And now our structure is different. Obviously, the 80s are a long time ago, fresher for some but long time ago. And our system now means that deregistration wouldn't actually resolve the problem, right?  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Well, it's part of the answer... 

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

But doesn't it mean that the CFMEU will just be able to do deals anyway, deregistered?  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Well, you know, Tony Burke says this and the point he then misses is that the action he is taking, in putting them into administration, they can continue to act for workers from administration. What's required is deregistration, allowing other unions then to move into the sector unions that haven't been subjected to these sorts of allegations, and we have competition to represent workers. That's absolutely appropriate. But the point the Master Builders make that deregistration on its own is not enough, well look, we agree with that. That's why the ABCC needs to be brought back. We need a tough cop on the beat that is independent, that he's able to take action and most importantly, that builders and contractors can go to with I mean, safe knowledge that there's not going to be intimidation as a result. Now, look, in the last two years since the ABCC has been abolished and Labor has been in power, I have had no shortage of contractors and builders come to me, telling me what is going on but completely unwilling to go public or unwilling to take action because they know what the consequences would be. And that is that is a result of not having a tough cop on the beat.  

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

Yeah let me just put this to you, if I can, Angus Taylor, you say that if an administrator is put in that they can act for workers from a position of essentially from that administration, but an administrator would have the power to sack officials that are corrupt. So wouldn't it be a clean union doing those deals under an administrator?  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Well, the better way to do it is to have a tough cop on the beat through the ABCC.  

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

But if you can answer my specific question, wouldn't it be a clean union... 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:  

Well we're not proposing administration. 

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

No but I'm asking if there is an administrator and it does happen, you saying you don't trust the administrator can do the job, is that what you're saying? They can't clean the union. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

At the end of the day, we need the ABCC and we need deregistration, we need other unions moving into the space. Look, the CFMEU... 

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

But do you think an administrator can clean, because that sort of challenges the entire concept of an administrator. 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

I seriously doubt that anyone can deal with the CFMEU in its current form, because at the end of the day, it's rotten to the core. And we see this time and time again. I mean, look, Albanese and Burke should stop acting like they're surprised by the appalling revelations we've seen in recent days. We have all heard it. We've all been hearing what's been going on with the CFMEU in the last two years. And the truth is that we need the ABCC back in place. We need deregistration. We need strong action from the government. And we need... 

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

Isn't it different to just hear rumours though and actually have hard evidence? There is a difference in terms of the burden of proof, right?  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

And that's why there has been such an outcry since these strong allegations came out, which came out of the Nine newspapers. And you know, and you spoke to Zach Smith about this yesterday, that these allegations are extremely serious. The CFMEU, according to these allegations, is riddled with criminal elements who have been involved in intimidation, bullying, thuggery, and so on. And that it is very clear that this organisation according to these allegations, it is rotten to the core. So we need an alternative. 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

Isn't part of the problem that the ABCC was just a civil body rather than a criminal body so that's part of its limitation, isn't it?  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

But if you speak to the builders in the industry, it was able to take, it was able to do what hasn't been done since it was abolished. And you know... 

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

But some of this flourished under the ABCC didn't it?  

 

ANGUS TAYLOR: 

Well you know, again, if you speak to participants in the industry, I hear time and time again, that since the ABCC has gone they have had no avenue to take their concerns... 

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

Do you accept at face value, it looks like this was going on when this supposed tough cop on the beat was there? 

 

ANGUS TAYLOR:  

Well, that's why the tough cop on the beat was there. We put it in place because this kind of activity had been going on. And I'm not gonna make allegations about specific activity because that was the role of the ABCC to deal with. But taking it away, and then allowing this kind of behaviour to flourish, it shows you how weak the Labor Party is in dealing with an organisation like this and why is that? Because they rely on them for resources, for donations, and they've been absolutely critical to supporting Labor's election campaigns.  

 

PATRICIA KARVELAS: 

Angus Taylor, we're out of time. Thank you so much for joining us. 

 

 

ENDS.