Victorian Premier Ted Baillieu has urged the Federal Government to back down from its plan to dismantle the office of the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner, saying that the proposed legislation would significantly jeopardise infrastructure building and promote unsafe building practices.

 

In his submission to the Senate Education, Employment and Workplace Relations Committees, Mr Baillieu said that the Building and Construction Industry Improvement Amendment (Transition to Fair Work) Bill 2011 legislation would significantly weaken the state’s construction industry by promoting cost delays through allowing increased industrial action.

 

Mr Baillieu warned that his state’s economy would be the ‘hardest hit by these Commonwealth proposals’, and that the ABCC is critical to maintaining a strong construction industry and cost projections.

 

"The ABCC and industry-specific workplace relations laws for the building and construction industry were established in response to recommendations of the (2001) Cole Royal Commission, which found widespread unlawful and inappropriate workplace practices in the industry," Mr Baillieu’s submission reads.

 

All submissions to the inquiry can be found here