On 13 February, a full Federal Court found that CFMEU safety official Alex Tadic breached s.500 of the Fair Work Act 2009 (FW Act) for his abuse of a WorkSafe Victoria inspector on a building site in 2014, where he called the inspector a “f—ing idiot” and “pathetic”. Section 500 prohibits a federal right of entry permit holder from intentionally hindering or obstructing any person, or otherwise acting in an improper manner.
Master Builders views the decision as a victory for common sense and accountability, through its confirmation of the fact that rights under the FW Act come with responsibilities – i.e. in this case, the ability of a union official to hold a federal permit and exercise a right of entry onto work sites, comes with the responsibility of not acting in an improper manner.
