TODAY’S commitment from the Coalition to strongly crack down on trade union corruption and unlawfulness is a positive step towards Australia securing hundreds of billions of dollars of uncommitted investment in future resource industry projects.

“Resource employers welcome the Coalition bringing to account unions that wilfully break the law; better protecting businesses and employees from thuggery and intimidation, better safeguarding ordinary union members from being ripped off by corrupt officials, and ensuring Australian taxpayers are not grossly overcharged for new infrastructure,” says AMMA CEO Steve Knott.

“This is particularly vital for the future of Australia’s resource industry, with $255 billion of uncommitted project investment in the balance. A tougher stance against unlawful union behaviour is vital to converting this potential into jobs, economic growth and the taxes and royalties that fund hospitals, roads, schools and services.

“Extending effective legal enforcement to offshore resource projects is particularly welcome. Offshore construction has seen unsustainable cost escalations, inflexible working arrangements and major delays to project approvals due to a flawed workplace system and militant union tactics.

“No other country allows trade unions to so openly hold to ransom multi-billion dollar projects of significant national importance.  Australia must address these important issues if we are to thrive in a globalised, ultra-competitive investment environment and deliver jobs and growth for our future.”

Today, Employment Minister Michaelia Cash committed to adopt the majority of recommendations from the Heydon Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption, and to the creation of a new Registered Organisations Commission (ROC) that will ensure trade unions are subject to proper governance and accountability standards.

“Coupled with the Coalition restoring the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC), adopting the Heydon Royal Commission’s recommendations and properly regulating union governance and accountability will send a clear message that the Australian community no longer tolerates illegal and threatening behaviours, and will no longer tolerate union leaders playing fast and loose with their members money,” Mr Knott continues.

“The Heydon Royal Commission exposed the dark underbelly of Australia’s union movement. While most unionists honestly represent their members, too many wilfully break our laws, ignore our courts, and pursue personal gain at the expense of their members.

“This cannot be allowed to continue. Today’s commitment is a significant step in the right direction.”

In AMMA’s 2016 Election Survey of more than 100 resource employers, 80% said a new Registered Organisations Commission to properly regulate union governance and accountability should be a priority for the Australian Government.

To learn more about this survey and AMMA’s ‘5 reforms over 5 years’ campaign, visit www.amma.org.au/backontrack

STATEMENT by Queensland Resources Council chief executive, Michael Roche:

GREEN activist lawyers must be having the world’s biggest picnic lately after a slew of recent litigation against resources projects. 

Green activists have lodged two appeals against Adani in the past couple of weeks, the most recent late Friday in an appeal against its mining lease.

That project now has four appeals pending, and one pending decision, all lodged by taxpayer funded green activists. 

The Adani project has been wading through approval and court appeals for 68 months, while GVK Hancock is in its 93rd month, having formally entered the process on 18 September 2008. Both have been held up by a relentless barrage of ‘lawfare’.

GVK Hancock was back in court last week, an appeal against Adani’s environmental authority was lodged late Friday, New Hope will be in the land court from March to July. The list goes on...

The Queensland Government must urgently overhaul the process that enables green activists to disrupt and delay projects, thus stifling jobs and investment for the state. 

Governments both state and federal should be doing all they can to prevent the blatant abuse of the court systems to the detriment of Queensland jobs. 

This month we called on those whose jobs are in the sector, or rely on the sector, to vote in the Federal election for candidates who will support their jobs and the financial security of their families. 

www.qrc.org.au

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GREEN activist tactics used to disrupt and delay coal projects are now being deployed against the gas sector with today’s announcement of a federal legal challenge.

The green activist group is challenging the Federal Environment Minister, Greg Hunt’s, approval of the Santos GLNG Gas Field Development in Queensland. This action shows that no commodity is safe from the anti-resources activists. 

This comes as no surprise though given that we are well aware of the activists' strategy handbook ‘Stopping the Coal Export Boom’, which details tactics, such as litigation, to disrupt and delay resources projects. 

The strategy reads: “Legal challenges can stop projects outright, or can delay them in order to buy time to build a much stronger movement and powerful public campaigns. The can also expose the impacts, increase costs, raise investor uncertainty.”

Last year, Origin Energy Chief Executive Grant King said during a speech that if the green activist tactics deployed against coal projects had also been used against the gas sector we would have been unlikely to have seen the creation of an entirely new LNG export industry, which is delivering to Queensland faster growth in 2016-17, than any other state.

All resource projects go through world-class rigorous environmental approvals by scientists not green activists, therefore it is ludicrous that these taxpayer-funded groups can challenge years of scientific research and subsequent approvals that have passed scrutiny of state and federal governments. 

We can only hope that the Federal Court will at the outset of this case determine the ability of the Western Downs Alliance to meet costs if and when awarded against them.

Excerpt from Mr King's speech:

"Many of those opportunities will be in Queensland and whether they’re in Queensland or elsewhere in Australia, ought be developed for the benefit of the world. It is not right to say that coal is somehow bad and should not be developed. It was extraordinary we achieved approval for APLNG in 18 months to two years, but I would hate to be doing it today. We do need to make sure that there’s a balance in those approval processes between the legitimate concerns of communities and stakeholders in the development of these projects and the claims that might be more ideologically based because if we don’t do that, we will not give the world the benefit of the great resources that we have in Australia and that we have in Queensland. Queensland is well placed to be part of that great story of the future, which is one of fuel substitution, because there are great high quality resources in Queensland."

www.qrc.org.au

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THIS July, the Council of Small Business of Australia (COSBOA) will host the premier policy event for small business representatives, government and industry leaders in Brisbane – the Vodafone National Small Business Summit.

Key themes for the 14th Annual Summit include people, policy and power. In an election year, the Summit will ensure that the voice of small business is heard and safeguard this community of more than 3 million small businesses, making sure the needs of small business people are front and centre.

EVENT DETAILS:

WHAT:  Vodafone National Small Business Summit
WHEN: Wednesday 6 - Friday 8 July 2016
WHERE: Hilton Brisbane Hotel
PRICE: Early bird available until 15 June, from just $690
WEBSITE: https://www.eiseverywhere.com/ehome/nsbs16/nsbs2016/
HASHTAG: #NSBS16

Delegates will join the event to exchange ideas, shape policy and discuss how the interests of small business are represented in Australia, to ensure economic growth.

This once-a-year event is the best opportunity for leaders in the small business community to connect with decision makers and key influencers, such as the newly created office of the Small Business & Family Enterprise Ombudsman and Fair Work Ombudsman.

Peter Strong, Chief Executive Officer, COSBOA says, “Every year the Summit brings together a community of business and policy experts and key decision makers to confront the key issues impacting small business. This year, I encourage you to get involved: join in the debates; let people know what you think and have an impact on the social fabric and economic future of Australia.”

To register for the Summit, visit http://www.nationalsmallbusinesssummit.com.au

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