As we continue to see the unfolding media reports regarding the CFMEU, it’s clear that our industry is facing challenges that many have known about for decades. Unions play an essential role in our workplaces, but we all deserve an industry that is lawful, safe, and free from corruption, coercion, bullying, and intimidation.

The recent revelations are not surprising. This entrenched culture has long stifled productivity and inflated construction costs, impacting the community, taxpayers, jobs, and small businesses. It’s time for action to eradicate this behaviour once and for all, addressing the unique problems in our industry with industry-specific solutions.

Master Builders supports the Government’s measures announced so far and is committed to assisting these efforts. We back the appointment of external administrators and investigations by the police and regulators, recognising these as first steps towards meaningful and lasting change. This goes beyond employment law; a holistic ‘whole of government’ approach is necessary, with increased powers and resources for police and regulators to effectively tackle these issues.

Our proposal calls for a comprehensive and coordinated approach involving immediate actions and permanent law reforms. This includes:

• Removing individuals and organisations that perpetuate the negative culture.
• Targeting practices that enable illegal and unlawful conduct.
• Monitoring and responding swiftly to any reoccurrence of such conduct.
• Promoting the responsible and productive role of unions.
• Implementing lasting measures to prevent future criminality, corruption, and poor culture.

In the short term, we urge the Federal Government to establish a central overarching committee to coordinate the ongoing inquiries. While current Government measures are a good start, long-term and permanent solutions are vital. We propose the creation of a dedicated building and construction industry regulator with strong enforcement powers. This one-stop-shop regulator would cover workplace safety, competition, governance, and training, and include a permanent cross-jurisdictional police unit.

Master Builders is committed to supporting these necessary reforms and ensuring a better future for our industry.