CFMEU: Abolish unchecked powers of ABCC

The construction workers' union has said press freedom is under attack from the Australian Building and Construction Commission and called for the unchecked powers of the ABCC to be immediately abolished.

News Ltd and Workplace Express received media subpoenas for all notes and records in articles on the Westgate Bridge dispute. ABCC chief, John Lloyd denied any knowledge of the media subpoenas at a Senate Estimates hearing.

CFMEU Construction National Secretary Dave Noonan said the ABCC's extraordinary powers were being used to shut down debate about the Building and Construction Commission.

"Open and free dialogue is under threat in Australia. Journalists who interview union officials critical of the ABCC are now being investigated and forced to hand over all notes and records of their meetings.

"Media outlets have been force to cave in by pressure of the laws and hand over confidential notes of interviews with their sources.

"For years construction workers have faced the draconian investigative powers of the ABCC. Now the ABCC attack dogs are going after journalists," said Mr Noonan.

The ABCC powers are sweeping - workers and their representatives can be fined and jailed, union meetings can be recorded and the Commissioner has powers to obtain information from workers, innocent bystanders, families, journalists and academics that they alone judge to be relevant to an investigation.

"The coercive and investigatory powers of the ABCC are exceptional and unwarranted. They are an attack on our political freedom our personal freedom and now our press. They are being used without oversight and need to be immediately abolished," said Mr Noonan.

CFMEU