Senator Eric Abetz

"Julia Gillard sees her own survival as more important than the survival of the Building and Construction Industry as Labor moves to kill off the Australian Building and Construction Commission," Senator Abetz said today.

"In a desperate attempt to placate the Labor Left and shore up support from the powerbrokers at the CFMEU, Julia Gillard is opening the door to the extreme militant elements of the unions."

 "After death threats at Qantas, illegal strikes at McCain, unrest at the Wonthaggi desalination plant as well as many other projects in Australia Julia Gillard's first response is to abolish the Australian Building and Construction Commission," Senator Abetz said. 

"The ABCC has helped the building and construction industry to increase productivity by 10%, provide an annual economic welfare gain of $5.5 Billion annually, reduce inflation, increase GDP and slash days lost through industrial action." 

"Julia Gillard now wants to flush this all away in an attempt to save her political hide." 

"In doing so she is attempting to seek a guarantee of future donations to the Labor Party from the construction unions, who spent hundreds of thousands of dollars bankrolling the Greens at the last election." Senator Abetz said. 

"At the same time the Prime Minister is trying to shore up support from the Left in an attempt to stave off a challenge to her leadership of the Party." 

"We are still to see Labor's legislation; however any changes to the effective 'tough cop on the beat', the ABCC, will ensure a return to the bad old days of intimidation, and coercion on Australian building sites." 

"Workplace Relations Minister, Senator Chris Evans is simply dancing to Julia Gillard's tune at a time when we are seeing a concerning rise in industrial unrest in Australia." 

"The Coalition remains committed to the retention of the ABCC as an effective solution to the problems that dogged Australia's construction industry for decades," Senator Abetz said.