Commonwealth Games building sites under Federal IR law
Published Friday, 19 August, 2016 at 05:18 PM
Minister for Employment and Industrial Relations, Minister for Racing and Minister for Multicultural Affairs
The Honourable Grace Grace
Queensland industrial inspectors have no jurisdiction over Commonwealth Games building sites, with the exception of workplace health and safety issues, Minister for Industrial Relations Grace Grace said.
Ms Grace said the LNP and its Industrial Relations spokesman Jarrod Bleijie clearly has no understanding of the proper role of Queensland industrial inspectors.
“They haven’t visited the site because they have no powers on sites governed by federal IR law,” the Minister said.
“It appears the Queensland LNP has no faith in the Turnbull Government’s ability to manage federal industrial relations.
“If Mr Bleijie has no confidence these matters can be resolved under federal industrial laws, he should approach his Coalition colleagues in Canberra and ask that they refer industrial relations powers back to the State government.
“Jarrod Bleijie’s profound ignorance of Queensland’s industrial relations system shows the LNP is unfit to govern.
“Jarrod Bleijie must be suffering from amnesia - either that, or he hopes Queenslanders have forgotten his bumbling role in the Newman Government.
“The powers of intervention in federal industrial relations matters that Mr Bleijie refers to apply only in very rare cases where industrial action is causing significant economic harm, or threat to life, or public safety.
“Furthermore, these powers have not been used by any other State or Territory government.
“Mr Bleijie should know this as the recent Estimates hearings confirmed that he was given this advice while he was Minister.
“During the long-running dispute at Lady Cilento Hospital in 2012 Mr Bleijie took no action - the same laws, a much longer dispute, and still he did not intervene.
“Mr Bleijie never exercised the powers of intervention he is now advocating when he was Queensland’s IR Minister.
“For the LNP to now call for such intervention, when Commonwealth Games works remain on time and on budget, reeks of hypocrisy.”
Media Contact: Martin Philip 0427 919 548