Senator the Hon Michaelia Cash
Shadow Attorney-General
Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Senate
Senator for Western Australia
MEDIA RELEASE
15 JULY 2024
ALBANESE SHOULD IMMEDIATELY DEREGISTER THE CFMEU
The Albanese Labor Government should immediately move to deregister the militant and out of control CFMEU following startling revelations the union has been deeply infiltrated by bikies, gangland and underworld criminal figures.
“What we’ve seen revealed by the Nine newspapers and 60 Minutes investigation shows this union has no right to still be operating,” Senator Cash said.
“Bob Hawke was brave enough to deregister the BLF and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Minister Tony Burke should follow his lead and do the same with the CFMEU,’’ Senator Cash said.
“The Albanese Government’s abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission has been an unmitigated disaster – this union is now riddled with bikies and underworld figures,” she said.
“The whole industry now needs to be free of the grip of this union and the only way to do that is deregister them,’’ Senator Cash said.
“The powers exist under the Fair Work Act for deregistration and Minister Burke can clearly make the application – he should do so immediately,’’ she said.
“The ACTU should then work out how the decent law-abiding workers who want to be part of a union could best be represented within the construction industry,’’ Senator Cash said.
“Minister Burke’s past conduct would indicate he will be slow to act against the union that donated $4.3 million to the Labor Party to help them win the last election,’’ Senator Cash said.
“The Labor Party should immediately hand back all the money that has been donated to them by the CFMEU in recent years. There is a question over some of that money possibly being the proceeds of crime. There needs to be a full investigation into the money trail,’’ she said.
The Coalition maintains its call for the Albanese Government to legislate the Ensuring Integrity Bill of 2019, re-instate the ABCC with increased powers, increase penalties for breaches of the Fair Work Act and tighten the fit and proper person test for right of entry onto construction sites.
ENDS
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