The Senate voted on March 21 to abolish the Australian Building and Construction Commission.

This is a great win.The laws that created the ABCC stripped the rights of construction workers providing us with fewer rights than a convicted terrorist.

Further, they sought to deliberately destroy this union by dragging us through expensive and lengthy legal battles.

Its abolition is over-due. Thanks to the role that you have played in the union’s long campaign, we have all prevailed.

The ABCC did nothing for your safety and conditions at work. It was a politically motivated attempt at neutering the union's success, and now it has been defeated and abolished.

It has been disturbing to see that such an organisation could exist in Australia, but the Gillard Government has fulfilled its election promise to throw out this attack on our rights as citizens.

Failed in Canberra, reborn in Victoria
You have to ask yourself then, why is Ted Baillieu seeking to mirror the failure of the ABCC in Victoria with the creation of a state-based taskforce? The question is particularly relevant when he is saying he has to sack 3,600 public sector workers.

This bizarre decision not only imports the failure and waste of the ABCC, but also seems to ignore that Victoria passed its IR powers to the federal government some twenty years ago.

Baillieu is employing former ABCC commissioner, Nigel Hadgkiss to head up his construction attack dog. Hadgkiss is infamous for his persecution of workers at the now defunct outfit and his role in botched attempt to jail Ark Tribe.

The union is not going to dwell in the past. We will attempt to address Victoria's current job crisis with this government. Sadly though, it seems the Premier is only concerned with giving jobs to his mates like Hadgkiss.

The money being blown on a new taskforce could be better spent ensuring Victorians stay in work, but given the adversity we have overcome, rest assured, your union will not end let up in its protection of your rights, conditions and safety at work.

Bill Oliver
State Secretary