CFMEU has influence? Not on my government, says Andrew Barr

Chief Minister Andrew Barr's emphatic statement that the ACT government "has never been influenced by the CFMEU" was met with peals of laughter from the opposition in question time on Thursday.

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But Mr Barr has stood by his comments after being presented a list of occasions the powerful construction has been thanked by Labor MLAs in the Legislative Assembly and the government had taken action after campaigns led by the union.

"The fact that an organisation supports a policy does not establish that it caused the policy," Mr Barr told The Canberra Times.

Chief Minister Andrew Barr, right, in Legislative Assembly question time this week. Picture by Karleen Minney

"By that logic, any time the government adopts a position also supported by a business organisation, a professional association, a community group or a media campaign, it could be argued those organisations were determining government policy. That is clearly not how democratic government operates.

"ACT government decisions are made by elected representatives, informed by advice from the ACT public service, consultation, evidence, stakeholder engagement and consideration of the public interest."

Opposition Leader Mark Parton asked Mr Barr if he would rule out allowing the CFMEU's political influence or objections to stand in the way of procurement reforms.

"Of course I will. The government has never been influenced by the CFMEU," Mr Barr said on Thursday.

Jason O'Mara, the then secretary of the CFMEU's ACT branch, took credit for the introduction of the code in a members' magazine in November 2019.

"This code - fought for and won by our unions - has successfully utilised the government's procurement powers to protect the rights of workers and their unions, and continues to be a huge success across the construction industry," Mr O'Mara wrote.

Ms Stephen-Smith and two other current Labor ministers - Michael Pettersson and Suzanne Orr - thanked the CFMEU in their inaugural speeches.

Former Labor MLA Bec Cody in her first speech thanked the CFMEU and the Transport Workers Union and said she would "always defend you, promote your goals, and strive to deliver for your members".

In 2023, then Labor minister Mick Gentleman told the Assembly: "I want to acknowledge the work of the territory's awesome trade union movement. Your contributions in advising consultations, advisory committees and boards provide this government with the vital firsthand information required to formulate and deliver good labour policies."

The CFMEU brought a motion to the 2019 ACT Labor conference calling for the establishment of property developer licensing, a scheme subsequently implemented by the Labor government.

Mr Barr said the premise of the question rested on a misunderstanding of how the democratic process worked.

"In a democracy, every stakeholder seeks to influence public policy. Business groups do it. The Property Council does it. The Master Builders Association does it. Community organisations do it. Environmental groups do it. The Canberra Times does it. Indeed, every section of the media actively does it. Individual citizens do it. And unions do it," he said.

"Advocating for a policy position and seeking to persuade decision-makers is not unusual or improper. It is a normal part of democracy and public debate.

"The question is not whether stakeholders seek to influence public policy. They all do. In fact, democracy depends on it. The real question is whether any stakeholder determines government policy or exercises undue influence over decision-making. The answer to that question is no."

Mr Barr said MLAs supporting positions advocated for by the CFMEU, media organisations, business groups and industry associations was not evidence of control or undue influence.

"It is evidence that different people and organisations can reach the same conclusion on a particular policy question, often for different reasons," he said.

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