Doorstop, High Court

Event: Doorstop, High Court of Australia, Canberra
Date: 18 June 2025, 10:30am AEST
Speakers: Denita Wawn, CEO of Master Builders Australia
Topics: CFMEU administration

E&OE

Denita Wawn, CEO Master Builders Australia: The decision today by the High Court provides certainty for Australia’s building and construction industry. It is great to see that it was all judges ensured that the Act stands, that we can now get on with the job of making the building and construction industry a lawful one. We commend the Albanese Government in pursuing this administration from day one and for defending the Act. Likewise, we thank the Coalition for their support in getting the act through the Senate. The time now comes for all stakeholders to recognise a union for the building and construction workers is important, but it has to be lawful. And we now need to turn to the safety and wellbeing of all of those in the building and construction industry to ensure that everyone is playing by the book, they’re following the law, and we get rid of bad actors out of the industry once and for all.

Journalist: What action are you hoping to see from the government now? If everything’s upheld, is there more legislation needed? Or are you happy with business as usual?

Denita: Master Builders has always said that the Administration Act is the first port of call, not the last one, and the only one. We now say that more needs to be done. We’ve seen a huge amount of evidence since the Administration Act came into place about the ingrained problems of illegal activity in this country, but also activity that at the moment is difficult to provide evidence to ensure that we get action in the courts. And as such, we think more needs to be done around criminal activity, around competition law in terms of cartel like behaviour, we need more whistle-blowing support for those who do want to come forward, and we also need to ensure that we get on with building for this country. We need massive amounts of building, and we need to ensure that the industry has certainty going forward.

Journalist: Denita, how much evidence have you seen so far, if at all, that the administration has improved the construction industry?

Denita: Certainly, the administration has created calm. It’s enabled us to actually work and have conversations with the CFMEU for the first time. I’ve spent 30 years of my career working with unions constructively until I hit the CFMEU. It is good that we can now work collaboratively in respect to what we need for the industry. But more importantly, the administrator has said, enough is enough. We need to ensure that bad actors, once and for all, aren’t running the union, but rather proper people are running the union to ensure that it is a lawful union. And we continue to support the administrator in doing that.

Journalist: Had the industry in general and the administrator been holding off, I guess, taking certain actions until this decision was made, fearful that it might undo all their work?

Denita: There’s certainly been some concern in terms of the uncertainty of the legislation that may have prohibited certain action being undertaken, particularly by the administrator. And as such, this now creates that certainty we need. But I also implore those who continue to disrupt the industry, that are questioning the Act. The High Court has resolutely supported this legislation today. You must respect the decision of the highest court in our land and get on with constructively ensuring that the industry is doing the right thing by Australia.

Journalist: In sort of summary, how would you describe this decision in historic terms, and what it means for the building industry?

Denita: This is a massive, massive change for the building and construction industry. It is very historic in the sense that we now have a situation where the court has confirmed that putting unlawful behaviour to one side in the building and construction industry is the right and the lawful thing to do. We’ve had four royal commissions into this industry over the last 40 years, and it has not deterred us in being able to get the right outcome, and that is a lawful union working within the industry and ensuring that everyone in the industry is working lawfully. That is the focus now of Master Builders and the administrator and governments going forward. Thank you.

Media contact:
Dee Zegarac
National Director, External Affairs & Engagement
0400 493 071
dee.zegarac@masterbuilders.com.au