Queensland’s Commission of Inquiry into the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has proposed comprehensive changes to the state’s approach to union conditions in the building and construction sector. The recommended Queensland Construction Code aims to replace the former Best Practice Industry Conditions (BPIC) policy, which has been criticized for increasing project costs and reducing productivity on government-funded works.

The inquiry’s draft guidelines, released recently, include several provisions that would restrict union influence on construction sites, particularly those funded by taxpayers. Notably, the proposals would end the practice of paying workers for participating in union activities, eliminate fixed rostered days off (RDOs), and prohibit non-working union delegates from being present on worksites. These changes seek to “reset” the bargaining framework between contractors, unions, and subcontractors, especially as multiple key enterprise agreements covering major infrastructure projects are due to expire in 2027.

One of the inquiry’s central concerns is the looming deadline to establish the new code before contracts commence on major projects related to the 2032 Olympic Games and other significant infrastructure developments in Queensland. The commission has warned there are just months remaining to implement the new standards to prevent potentially inefficient work practices from persisting in the coming years. The inquiry advocates for the urgent reintroduction of an enforceable code of practice along with an independent regulator to oversee compliance.

Under the discontinued BPIC policy, contractors bidding on government-funded projects valued at $100 million or more were required to adhere to union-favoured conditions, such as fixed RDO calendars enabling extended time off, enhanced overtime and allowances—including double pay during wet weather—and a $100 weekly technology allowance. Subcontractors were paid at the same rates as principal contractors, and labour hire providers received an additional 25 percent loading. These provisions have been linked to inflated labour costs and claims of diminished site efficiency.

The proposed Queensland Construction Code would apply broadly to taxpayer-funded construction projects over $2 million, with additional requirements such as Workplace Relationship Management Plans for projects exceeding certain thresholds—$10 million for building and $20 million for major civil works. The code would forbid contractors and unions from practices including limiting labour sources, last-on-first-off redundancy rules, all-in pay arrangements, and payments connected to industrial action or union representation. This aims to grant contractors greater flexibility and bargaining power in forming enterprise agreements.

Further, new regulations would ban union delegates from worksites when not actively engaged in paid work, intending to reduce union presence deemed unrelated to operational tasks. Contractors tendering for government projects would also be required to demonstrate strategies for improving workforce diversity and retention, particularly of women, and to outline plans to boost productivity or manage costs more effectively compared to the former BPIC framework.

Finally, the draft code proposes curbs on workplace arrangements that might blur union representation boundaries, ensuring clearer distinctions in industrial coverage. Overall, the commission’s recommendations seek to modernize labour relations in Queensland’s construction sector ahead of a surge in infrastructure activity, balancing the interests of government, contractors, unions, and workers.