Building industry welcomes return of ABCC

Building industry groups around Australia have welcomed the reintroduction of the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

The bill, introduced into Parliament on November 14, aims to highlight acceptable industrial behaviour in building sites, along with restoring the rule of law in such areas.

Master Builders Australia CEO Wilhelm Harnisch believes the ABCC will be capable of tackling "industrial thuggery" head on, and will boost the industry's productivity while lowering the cost of construction.

The ABCC was dumped by the Labor government last year, but had been the building industry regulator for industrial regulations until that point.

If the bill becomes law, the body will replace the Office of the Fair Work Building Industry Inspectorate, also known as Fair Work Building and Construction (FWBC).

Housing Industry Association Industrial Relations Spokesperson David Humphrey agrees with the reintroduction of the ABCC, saying, "Re-establishing the ABCC is essential to boosting Australia's productivity and to ensuring law and order prevails at our nation's building sites".

Many industry groups opposed the ABCC's abolition and believe that the weakening of building industry laws put in place by the ABCC has had a negative effect.