OFF THE WIRE
VICTORIAN Premier Denis Napthine has accused trade unions of having an unholy
alliance with outlaw bikie gangs.
Dr Napthine says there's been a rise in
bullying, intimidation and inappropriate practices on the state's building
sites.
"What we're seeing is an unholy alliance between a number of
unions and outlaw bike gangs," he said.
"That's totally
unacceptable."
The premier refused to name the particular unions and
bikie gangs to which he was referring.
Dr Napthine told the Liberal Party
State Council in Melbourne that Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews was beholden to
the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU).
He told
reporters Labor should refuse donations from the union and return money received
from the CFMEU over the last two to three years.
Mr Andrews said he would
not take probity advice from a government that relies upon the vote of Frankston
MP Geoff Shaw, who is under police investigation for misconduct in public
office.
He said Labor would not return CFMEU donations.
Mr Andrews
said if Dr Napthine has evidence to back up his claims relating to unions and
outlaw bikie gangs he should go to Victoria Police.
"You'd want to be
able to back that up, I'd have thought, otherwise it would just be a sweeping
allegation that was just more of the bile that Denis Napthine, a brawler, not a
premier ... is absolutely famous for," he said.
Last week, the Federal
Court found the CFMEU in contempt of court over a blockade at the Grocon
Emporium site last year, which choked inner Melbourne.
Victorian Supreme
Court Justice Anthony Cavanough found on Friday the CFMEU was in contempt for
five days - each day between August 28 and 31 at the Emporium site, and on
September 5 at another Grocon project, the McNab site in Footscray.
The
action was brought by Grocon, which claimed the two-week blockade at its
Emporium site cost the construction company hundreds of thousands of dollars per
day.
Dr Napthine said the CFMEU should accept responsibility for the
costs to the state flowing from the action.
He welcomed Federal
Opposition Leader Tony Abbott's commitment to bring back the Australian Building
and Construction Commission if he becomes prime minister in September.
http://www.perthnow.com.au/news/breaking-news/unions-in-alliance-with-bikies-vic-govt/story-fnhrvfuw-1226650837510
