Building Commissioner must resign

Date: 26 September 2008

Dave Noonan, CFMEU

The CFMEU today called on Australian Building and Construction Commissioner, John Lloyd, to apologise and resign after eight charges against construction worker Brian Shearer were withdrawn by the Department of Public Prosecutions.

Mr Lloyd was quoted in media articles in 2007 alleging a union official threatened to kill a Commission Inspector on a building site.

The National Secretary of the Construction Division of the CFMEU, Dave Noonan, said: "These allegations have been proven to be totally untrue, with the Victoria Police withdrawing all charges. The ABCC dragged Mr Shearer's name through the mud. They have slandered the union and Mr Lloyd should apologise and resign.

"What is now clear is the ABCC used this case to run John Howard's attacks against the union movement in the lead up to the last federal election. They besmirched the name of an innocent man in a desperate attempt to portray construction unions as bullies and thugs.

"Thankfully the DPP has had enough common sense to realise these claims were unfounded and untrue."

"It's been two years of living hell," said Mr. Shearer. "Having these allegations hanging over my head has really taken a toll on me and my family.

"While I'm glad to be moving on with my life, it's very concerning to me that other building workers continue to be at risk of being used as a tool in the campaign to protect the ABCC."

The charges relate to an incident on 6 December 2006 at a H. Troon Pty Ltd site in Mill Park, when the union representative on the site was attempting to ensure the employer was upholding their legal obligations to insure the workers. ABCC inspectors were called in and claim they were verbally abused by Mr. Shearer.

Mr. Noonan said today, "This is a victory for Brian and a victory for the CFMEU. The government needs to realise the game is up, and move to abolish this overtly-political attack dog of the failed Howard Government," Mr Noonan said.

For further information

Contact:	Dave Noonan, National Secretary,Construction Division
Union:	CFMEU
Phone:	(02) 8524 5800
WWW:	http://www.cfmeu.asn.au/

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