Turnbull gains numbers to pass election-trigger ABCC industrial relations bill
Claire Bickers, AAP, News Corp Australia Network
November 28, 2016 2:17pm
MALCOLM Turnbull has finally secured the numbers to pass a bill to reinstate a building industry watchdog — the key industrial relations bill which triggered the double-dissolution election earlier this year.
Crossbencher David Leyonjelm officially announced his support on Monday for relaunching the Australian Building and Construction Commission on Monday, while senators Nick Xenophon and Derryn Hinch have also signalled they’re close to backing the bill.
Senator Leyonjelm told reporters in Canberra he was able to secure two key agreements for his support; one to remove the onus of proof on employees coming forward and one to force the ABC and SBS to be more accountable to taxpayers.
Senator Derryn Hinch and Senator Nick Xenophon look set to support the ABCC bill. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas
If the bill passes this week, it will be the second major win for the Turnbull Government in the lead up to the Christmas break.
Last week, the Government managed to secure support for its other election-trigger bill, the Registered Organisations Bill, forcing union bosses to be more accountable to their members.
“The Government has negotiated with me using the principle of freedom offsets in good faith,” Senator Leyonhjelm told reporters in Canberra on Monday.
The Senator said the Government needed to show good faith after he was burned on a deal over the Adler lever-action shotgun.
It comes after the Prime Minister reportedly struck a deal with Senate powerbroker Nick Xenophon to withhold billions of dollars in government contracts from builders who fail to pay subcontractors on time.
Senator David Leyonhjelm has announced he will back the Government’s bill to reinstate the building industry watchdog. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP
Mr Turnbull is also considering new commitments to improving the Murray-Darling river system in a last-minute bid to stop Senator Xenophon and his team holding up all legislation until the water dispute is resolved, The Australian reports.
Senator Xenophon told ABC on Monday he was close to an agreement with the Government on the ABCC but there were still a few “stumbling blocks” to clear, including agreements around the use of Australian building materials and payment security.
“If these amendments are agreed to it won’t be like the Howard era ABCC, it will still have teeth, it will still be an effective watchdog, but there will be a number of safeguards,” the Senator said.
The Prime Minister delayed introducing the ABCC bill into the Senate earlier this month after the Federal Government referred questions over two senators’ eligibility to be elected to the High Court.
