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House of Assembly - Fifty-Fifth Parliament, First Session (55-1)
2024-08-27 Daily Xml
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CFMEU

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA (Hartley—Leader of the Opposition) (14:34): My question is to the Premier. Is the CFMEU driving up the cost of construction in South Australia? With your leave, sir, and that of the house, I will explain.

Leave granted.

The Hon. V.A. TARZIA: On 1 August it was reported that the militant CFMEU union is applying a 10 per cent to 15 per cent premium to Adelaide construction projects, adding millions of dollars to costs. Industry figures claim the CFMEU is inflating project costs by threatening to shut down sites unless costly demands are met.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS (West Torrens—Minister for Infrastructure and Transport, Minister for Energy and Mining) (14:34): I heard that this question was going to get asked of me today by the Leader of the Opposition—not a good sign, Vincent, but never mind. I have not seen—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Member for Flinders!

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I've got it highlighted: 'Tales of Tarzia 13'.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: Calm down. I have not seen the accusations that the member opposite is saying. What I do see is pressure on the labour market, that the economy in South Australia is doing so exceptionally well that there is a competition for labour, and that competition for labour is driving up wages. The idea that it is down to one or two people within the CFMEU is simply not true. What is occurring is that we are seeing South Australia's unemployment rate at a record low. That record low is seeing a lot of companies that are attempting to build large-scale projects competing and struggling to get labour.

That labour shortage is pushing up wages. It is a pretty simple economic equation that I would have thought members opposite would know. Perhaps if they had not sacked their shadow treasurer so quickly, maybe they would have someone over there who could explain to them why there is competition for labour going on. I feel very sorry for my friend the member for Colton with the humiliation he has been put through over the last couple of weeks. Through no fault of his own, he was sacked, moved to another portfolio and has seen someone else promoted who, quite frankly, we all know is going to be interesting. I have to say—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: The member for Morialta, the member for Chaffey! The minister will be heard in silence.

The Hon. A. KOUTSANTONIS: I do not think it is the CFMEU that is pushing up wages: what we see pushing up wages is massive competition for labour. This government fully supports the commonwealth government's move to put the CFMEU into administration. We do not support any form of organised crime or bikies in the CFMEU. I would point out that the CFMEU did not just start in March 2022: they were around under the Morrison government, they were around under the Abbott government, and they were operating freely. It took a Labor government to put them into administration.

The SPEAKER: The member for MacKillop is next in the line. I know the member for MacKillop umpired Glencoe versus Mt Burr on the weekend, and it was not his fault the mighty Murphies went down by 50 points.

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