CFMEU exposes Abbott's hoax

Date: 01 May 2001

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Abbott's plans to clean up the construction industry with a government appointed Taskforce or Royal Commission are a political diversion, designed to distract voters from the government's own poor performance, union leaders said today.

The union was responding to reports in the Daily Telegraph and on C7 TV, in which the Minister says he has ordered an investigation, expected to lead to a judicial inquiry, taskforce or royal commission into the construction industry.
CFMEU Construction Division National Secretary John Sutton said "Tony Abbott's move is political chicanery of the highest order.
"A Minister who, by his own admission, is barely above L-plate level in his grasp of his portfolio and a government on the nose politically, are resorting to that old time-worn conservative tactic of bashing trade unions to divert attention from their own weaknesses.
"The CFMEU and its predecessor building unions have been on the receiving end of this tactic before, so we have few illusions as to what it is really about," said Mr Sutton.
"Building unions came through the Gyles Royal Commission, instigated by the NSW Liberal Government 10 years ago, with their name intact.
"The CFMEU prides itself on keeping the union clean of criminal activity and corruption. We deal with it internally and refer such allegations to the appropriate police authorities who can and should be investigating these matters.
"That is the proper way to deal with such allegations. There is no need for a political stage-show orchestrated by a Liberal Workplace Relations Minister whose main concern is to boost the election chances of an unpopular Federal Government," said Mr Sutton.

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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