Taskforce pre-empts RC findings

Date: 20 August 2002

One rule for workers at Royal Commissions - another for Executives of HIH, says CFMEU

Tony Abbott's announcement of a Taskforce to investigate and prosecute workers and unions totally preempts the outcomes of the Royal Commission, and shows that the Government was only ever interested in using the process to attack workers and their unions, the CFMEU said today.

National Secretary of the CFMEU, Mr. John Sutton said that the Government had announced the taskforce before the Union had even had a chance to give evidence before the Commission.

"The Commission is only half way through its business and the union is still yet to give our substantial evidence, but the Government is ready to investigate and prosecute workers and unions," Mr. Sutton said.

"It is extraordinary the speed with which the Government wants to prosecute workers, compared to their inertia in dealing with high paid executives, lining their own pockets while public companies go bankrupt," Mr. Sutton said.

"This shows that the Commission has only ever been political window dressing for the Government's anti-union agenda," Mr. Sutton said.

Mr. Sutton said that the Union had not been sent a copy of the report given to the Government by the Royal Commissioner, but that the majority of evidence tendered to the Commission by the Union had not even been heard.

"The Commissioner's report is based on rumours, innuendo and unsubstantiated allegations. The Union has been restricted in its ability to cross examine witnesses, nor have we been given an opportunity to put our evidence," Mr. Sutton said.

For further information

Contact:	John Sutton
Union:	CFMEU
Phone:	02 9267 7644
Fax:	9267 8863
Email:	BMoloney@fed.cfmeu.asn.au
WWW:	http://cfmeu.asn.au/construction/

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