The LNP Government is lying to Queenslanders about the source of cost blowouts on taxpayer-funded infrastructure projects in a bid to scapegoat the CFMEU and lay the groundwork for anti-worker industrial relations policies.

The outbursts against the CFMEU by Premier David Crisafulli and his cronies are big on theatrics but short on facts.

In fact, most of Queensland’s major road and rail projects are not covered by CFMEU enterprise agreements and do not adhere to the Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPIC) policy.

The CFMEU has long been critical of the Department of Transport and Main Roads (TMR) for awarding contracts to the cheapest tender with no accountability for workers or taxpayers.

Workers know the LNP is grandstanding against the CFMEU as a softening up period to justify the return of Campbell Newman-era Right of Entry restrictions for union officials to investigate safety issues onsite.

“It is typical of the LNP to blame construction workers and the CFMEU for infrastructure cost blowouts,” CFMEU QLD/NT Civil Construction Coordinator Dylan Howard said.

“TMR projects such as the Cross River Rail are plagued by terrible safety standards, poor planning, comical design faults and a lack of basic construction methodology and sequencing.”

“The CFMEU recently submitted a Right to Information (RTI) request to TMR because we too want to know where taxpayers money is going. Unsurprisingly, the RTI was denied by the department.”

“We’re willing to sit down with the LNP, TMR and the contractors to pinpoint where and why costs are blowing out on these projects.”

“Where the CFMEU has been involved in the delivery of public infrastructure – such as the construction of Queensland’s satellite hospitals and railway station upgrades – the projects have been delivered on time and on budget.”