Businesses have expressed concern over the federal government’s decision to strip the construction watchdog’s powers back to the “bare legal minimum”. 

Labor went to the last election vowing to abolish the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) altogether, arguing it’s a politically motivated agency that serves no purpose.

Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke yesterday announced the ABCC’s powers will be absorbed by the Fair Work Ombudsman and other government departments.

The Coalition claims the decision to scrap the ABCC will lead to lawlessness in the construction industry and has vowed to restore the watchdog if it wins the next federal election.

“We have made that commitment, it does not change,” Shadow Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations, Michaelia Cash said.

“The building and construction industry is just too important to Australia to go back to the bad old days of chaos and lawlessness.”

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