“Master Builders Association of Victoria welcomes the successful passage of the Building and Construction Industry (Improving Productivity) Bill 2013 (ABCC Bill) in Federal Parliament this week,” Master Builders Association of Victoria CEO Radley de Silva said.

“We are encouraged that the Turnbull government pressed for, and succeeded, with bringing back this crucial reform. Master Builders has been calling for the re-establishment of the ABCC to bring back the rule of law to ensure the strength of our industry,” he said.

“The Heydon Royal Commission findings into Trade Union Governance and Corruption brought to light numerous accounts of lawlessness and thuggery that have been occurring on construction worksites,” Mr de Silva said.

The ABCC Bill has a specific focus on addressing unlawful industrial action, coercion, discrimination and industrially motivated pickets. It also increases the maximum penalties available to the Courts to more effectively deter those who continue to break the law.

Importantly, the ABCC Bill gives effect to the Building and Construction Industry (Fair and Lawful Building Sites) Code 2014 – prohibiting contractors, wishing to perform federally funded work, from having enterprise agreements or other arrangements that contain restrictive work practices or discriminatory provisions. This allows the Federal Government to use its purchasing power as a client to drive much needed cultural reform through the industry and deliver better outcomes for Australian taxpayers.

While there were amendments to the ABCC bills that will take time to fully absorb, this is a win for the industry and an important step forward for making it possible for Victorians to afford and have in place the roads, transport infrastructure , schools, hospitals and aged care centres our growing state desperately needs,” he said.

“Importantly, this is a victory not just for the building and construction industry—Victoria’s second-largest full-time employer—but for every person who lives and works in our state,” he said.