Interview with Kieran Gilbert, Sky News

Event: Interview with Kieran Gilbert, Sky News
Date: 16 August 2024, 1:10pm AEST
Speakers: Denita Wawn, CEO Master Builders Australia
Topics: CFMEU administration, insolvencies

E&OE 

Kieran Gilbert, host Sky News: Let’s return to the events here in Canberra this week, with the political debate around the CFMEU hitting a wall yesterday, there was no deal done. I want to go live to the Master Builders Australia chief executive, Denita Wawn. Denita, you wanted a compromise to get the administrators into the embattled union. You must be disappointed with what you saw? 

Denita Wawn, CEO Master Builders Australia: Really disappointed, Kieran. We saw party politics at its worst yesterday, where the debate really got down to how they could outdo each other, as opposed to what’s best for the community, what’s best for our industry. We were so close, and it was good that the Government went and looked at compromises with its legislation, the Coalition at least retracted, retreated from its deregistration position, and instead have embraced administration, as we have requested. We got critically close, and we now implore both sides of the major parties to come together over the weekend, resolve a solution to this, because one day more means one day where the industry is hamstrung. We implore everyone to get on with the job. This is the first step of many. 

Kieran: Yeah, well, as you say, the first step of many. Surely, the parliament can’t allow itself to rise next week, at the end of next week, without this being in place, administrators imposed upon the union, given everyone across the board agrees that some action needs to be taken here, significant action. 

 Denita: Significant action must be taken. We have been asking now for decades. Four Royal Commissions have said, for decades, that things need to be done. We do not need a squabble over how to achieve it, but we now have very close bipartisan support on implementing the administration process, that we support as an industry, that needs to get on with it as quickly as possible. We’ve received phone calls overnight of people nearly in tears, that this did not go through. We understand the administrator is ready and waiting. They are ready to start their day one activities, which includes the removal of officials that are overseeing the types of activities that we have seen in news reports, that our members have been experiencing for decades. The time is now. This must be passed early next week, and certainly there will be absolute concern expressed by the industry if it does not pass by the end of next week. 

Kieran: And at the same time, we saw complimentary legislation from the New South Wales parliament, the Minns government. They’re holding up their end of the bargain, aren’t they? They got that passed last night. 

Denita: Absolutely commend not only the Minns government, but the Liberal Coalition in supporting that legislation. They have realised the more enormous need for an administration. These are complex legal issues where we have to deal with them at both the federal and a state level. They’ve got on with the job, and we’re seeking the federal parliamentarians to do likewise. 

Kieran: Can I ask you about some comments made by at the RBA testimony today here at Parliament House, I want to just read to you a little of what one of the RBA representatives said, that “they believe that we’ve seen some leveling out in stress in the construction sector, re insolvencies.” Do you agree with that assessment? Have we seen a levelling out of insolvencies? Have we seen the worst of it, Denita Wawn? 

Denita: Well, I was hoping that we’d seen the worst of it about six months ago, but that hasn’t been the case. That is, I’ve seen a number of the comments by the RBA today, but not that one. I’d certainly hope that is the situation, but the reality is that the industry is fragile. Costs have escalated to 30, 40 per cent in residential construction. We need to get to the key reasons why we have escalating costs that mean investment is just not happening in the sector. Our builders are ready and waiting. So, we’ve got to get a handle on those costs, and that includes labour shortages, and includes resolving these industrial relations issues. 

Kieran: We’ll stay in touch next week and hopefully some progress there on the CFMEU, thanks Denita. 

Denita: Thank you very much. 

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