Greens move for House to decline ABCC bill in favour for broad-based anti-corruption watchdog
Greens Industrial Relations spokesperson Adam Bandt MP today moved for the House of Representatives to decline the ABCC bill and instead support establishing a national broad-based anti-corruption watchdog that would have the power to investigate corruption wherever it occurs.
“Malcolm Turnbull should walk away from his plan to give construction workers fewer rights than alleged criminals and instead establish a national broad-based anti-corruption watchdog,” Mr Bandt said.
“When it comes to allegations of wrongdoing, if you’ve got a blue-collar, this government throws the book at you, but if you’ve got a white-collar, they turn the other way.”
“If the government really wants to tackle corruption, they will get behind the Greens’ plan to establish a national broad-based anti-corruption watchdog.”
“The Greens have tried to establish a National ICAC in the last three Parliaments, but neither Labor nor the Liberals have gotten behind it.”
“A broad-based national anti-corruption watchdog would have the power to look into employers and employees, politicians and public servants.”
“If there is wrongdoing in the building industry, then the broad-based anti-corruption watchdog will find it. And if there is corruption elsewhere, they will find it too.”
“The government should shelve its attack on people in the construction industry and instead get behind the Greens’ plan to establish a national broad-based anti-corruption commission.”
Media contact: Adam Pulford, 04129 109 054
Full text of amendment, which was seconded by Mr Andrew Wilkie:
Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 [No. 2]
(Amendment to motion for second reading to be moved by Mr Bandt)
That all the words after “That” be omitted with a view to substituting the following words:
“the House declines to give the bill a second reading because the objective of dealing with alleged wrongdoing in Australian society would be better achieved by establishing a broad-based national anti-corruption watchdog.”