Published: 4 May 2016
The CFMEU have called on Mr Hadgkiss to resign as director of the Fair Work Building Commission (FWBC) and seek pre-selection for the Liberal Party, following his address to the AiG yesterday while the government is in election mode.
National CFMEU Construction Secretary Dave Noonan said the behaviour of Mr Hadgkiss was extraordinarily inappropriate for a head of government regulator.
“The FWBC have been running a highly political campaign against the union at the behest of the Liberal Government in order to beef up support for the return of the ABCC,” he said.
“Mr Hadgkiss is continuing to make public comments about the need for the ABCC, using their prosecutions against workers and union officials to support his case.
“He conveniently forgets to mention that recent Federal court decisions have rejected cases brought by the FWBC against the CFMEU.”
Last week, the Full Court of the Federal Court found that the evidence relied on by Director of the FWBC, Nigel Hadgkiss was inadequate and that his approach was 'unhelpful' and 'misconceived.'
On April 7 another judgement by the Federal court in Brisbane the case brought by the FWBC Director was criticised for being an 'abuse of process.' and 'unjustifiably vexatious and oppressive.'
Mr Noonan said the comments by Mr Hadgkiss prove once again that he is campaigning for the Liberal Party.
“He knows that any unbiased regulator should not be speaking publicly on election issues and he should therefore resign his taxpayer funded position and seek preselection for the Liberal Party.
“It's a disgrace that while there are cuts to ASIC, the ACCC and the ATO by the Turnbull Government the FWBC have put 55 new staff on.
“By cutting funds to other regulators, Turnbull is making it clear that he wants to sweep corporate corruption under the carpet while prosecuting construction workers and their unions over minor industrial matters.”