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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2023-07-06 Daily Xml
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Grievance Debate

Incolink

Mr COWDREY (Colton) (15:10): Sadly, this grieve today should not be necessary, but it most certainly is. Why? Because of the complete inaction of this Premier. Despite standing in this chamber just a number of weeks ago using one of his go-to lines—the Premier committed to use every lever available to him to address the pending infiltration of the CFMEU Incolink scheme into the building industry—there has been no action, no acts, no powers, no functions or, frankly, any leadership deployed by the Premier to date.

The Premier today in question time in fact was confused by the opposition's questions around why he had not met with John Setka yet. Well, there is an easy explanation: the Premier said he would personally do something about this issue. That is what was reported in The Advertiser that very day. Instead, it seems by his answers in question time today that his actions involve watching and observing. That is what action and leadership look like under this Premier. I am sure watching and observing are going to drive the Incolink scheme straight out of South Australia and stop it in its tracks.

The CFMEU have made it clear that they are interested in undertaking a rollout of the Incolink scheme early this financial year. As we understand it, the CFMEU have been keen to ensure that builders, subcontractors and others in the industry understand the expectation that, moving forward, Incolink will be the choice of fund in South Australia. The opposition understands also that some builders are even being pressured so that remaining balance funds in the BIRST scheme can be transferred over into the Incolink scheme.

The parliament is about to go on a seven-week recess. The situation that confronts us when we return may very well be catastrophic for the future of the building industry and workers as far as the building industry is concerned. The CFMEU and the Incolink scheme may very well be well and truly entrenched by the time we return. The building industry is on its knees. South Australian money that should be invested in South Australia is potentially on its way out of the state to be controlled by the Victorian branch of the CFMEU and the Victorian MBA, yet the Premier stands idly by as it all happens. This is simply unacceptable.

But let's not be led astray. If the Premier wants to flex a bit of muscle and authority, there are options. A bill can be introduced to this place to provide a safe haven, a government-protected fund. The government has already proposed two funds this week; why not one more so that the contributions that South Australian businesses made into the BIRST scheme, that have been invested for the singular purpose of South Australian workers' redundancies and training, can be quarantined and protected?

While we may be unable, due to the nature of the industrial relations heads of power that have been handed over to our federal colleagues in Canberra, to compel businesses to use a particular fund, we can strongly recommend that they do and we can provide an alternative. We can give South Australian businesses an option to protect their contributions made into the BIRST scheme. We can give second-tier builders in South Australia an option that is not Incolink, should they have been able to this point to avoid having to sign a CFMEU EB compelling them to pay into that fund. This issue is time sensitive, this issue is of significance, this issue is about the future viability of one of our biggest industries and the future of this state.

On this issue, so far the Premier has failed to do his job and to demonstrate any real leadership. He has just talked and he has watched. No legislation has been introduced by this government. As the Premier of this state, as the leader of the Labor Party, as the leader of the union movement in South Australia, he needs to stand up like previous generational Labor leaders have.

The same Premier who accepted a $125,000 donation from the CFMEU days prior to the election and then was forced to return it, this Premier has authority within the union movement. He must demand that the CFMEU ensure that at the very least the funds that are already in BIRST are kept in South Australia and protected for the sole use of South Australian workers.

If the Premier cares about the South Australian building industry, if he cares about South Australian workers, if he cares about doing anything more than just talking, he will take action and he will do it quickly.

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