Fed: Govt should wind back powers of building watchdog: Adams

AAP General News (Australia)
08-26-2008
Fed: Govt should wind back powers of building watchdog: Adams

CANBERRA, Aug 26 AAP - The federal government should wind back the powers of the building
and construction industry watchdog before 2010, a Labor backbencher says.

Unions have called on the government to scrap the Australian Building and Construction
Commission (ABCC) immediately because of its draconian powers.

But the Rudd government has vowed to stick to its election promise of keeping the commission
until 2010.

Dick Adams said the commission should be wound back before 2010.

"It's a pretty extreme organisation that's got extreme powers," Mr Adams told reporters.

"I don't think we need to keep this at the extreme end of where it is at the moment,
I think we should be able to wind that back somewhat before 2010."

"It should be wound back, and if corporate Australia doesn't think that, then maybe
we should apply it to corporate Australia as well."

Another Labor MP, Jason Clare, said it was the government's responsibility to keep
election commitments.

"We made an election commitment that we would get rid of it in January 2010 and that's
exactly what we are going to do," Mr Clare told reporters.

"That's what people expect, that's what we are going to do."

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KEYWORD: ABCC MPS

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