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October 12th, 2011 
FAKE NEWS for the Zionist agenda
THE Greens have issued a stern warning to Labor by indicating their preference to oppose legislation abolishing the Australian Building and Construction Commission if its coercive, information-gathering powers are transferred to any new industry watchdog.
The Greens are backed by the union movement with ACTU president Ged Kearney yesterday saying that Labor’s planned abolition of the ABCC did not go far enough and that the power to interrogate workers in secret meetings needed to be detached from any new legislation.
But business and industry offered a counterpoint, warning that the planned abolition of the construction watchdog would weaken economic activity, hurt smaller operators and encourage unlawful industrial practices.
The ABCC was established under the Howard government following the 2003 Cole Royal Commission, with its critics describing the watchdog’s powers allowing it to interrogate workers in secret meetings as a violation of democratic principles. Union leaders have repeatedly made the point that at least 203 individuals have been questioned by the watchdog via defective legal orders.
Greens workplace relations spokesman, Adam Bandt, yesterday told The Australian that his party’s vote could not be guaranteed and that he would press the government to remove the ABCC’s coercive powers, which Workplace Relations Minister Chris Evans insists will be retained in the new regime.
“We would not support laws that are simply a rebadging of bad practices under new names,” Mr Bandt said. “We have not decided whether to support the bill if our amendments are not accepted.”
Labor has taken its plan to abolish the ABCC to two elections and Senator Evans has made clear a strong regulator will be established in the form of a new inspectorate to operate under the Fair Work system to ensure all parties abide by their obligations.
But Ms Kearney suggested the government should be doing more to ensure workers in the building and construction industry were treated uniformly, slamming the ABCC as an affront to workers’ rights.
“While unions welcome its abolition, this alone will not go far enough,” she said.
“Until coercive powers within the building and construction industry are also removed from legislation, construction workers will continue to have less rights than the rest of the workforce.”
However, Australian Chamber of Commerce and Industry chief executive Peter Anderson yesterday told the National Press Club the ABCC had cleaned up the construction industry and the establishment of a new body could see a return of unlawful industrial practices.
Chief Executive of the Australian Industry Group, Heather Ridout, said the planned abolition of the ABCC was concerning and that a strong regulator was necessary because damaging industrial activity had begun to creep back into workplaces.
“Unless a strong, well-resourced regulator is maintained, the risks associated with industrial lawlessness will again be priced into construction contracts, at great cost to project owners (including governments) and the Australian community,” Mrs Ridout said.
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