Response to the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry

The Canberra Liberals acknowledge the resignation of Deputy Chief Minister Yvette Berry following the release of the ACT Integrity Commission’s Operation Kingfisher report.

The Integrity Commission found serious corrupt conduct involving the Deputy Chief Minister’s own Chief of Staff. Under the Ministerial Code of Conduct she was accountable for the actions of her staff. That accountability has finally been delivered.

The Campbell Primary School modernisation project cost ACT ratepayers nearly an extra $1 million because of CFMEU pressure. Most Canberrans don’t believe this was a one-off.

The text messages between the Minister’s Chief of Staff and the CFMEU suggest that these were not the first interactions of this nature. Union influence goes deep, and it is one of the reasons everything costs more than it should in Canberra.

The Secure Local Jobs Code has been exposed for what it is. The government itself admits it does not create additional local jobs.

The people of the ACT have every right to question whether this code has been used to enable union interference in government procurement.

The Canberra Liberals are calling for:

• Full consequences for all those found to have engaged in serious corrupt conduct

• An end to CFMEU membership for all Cabinet Ministers, including Michael Pettersson

• An end to CFMEU membership for all ministerial staff

• Immediate reforms to the Secure Local Jobs Code

After more than 25 years of ACT Labor government, this culture of union interference and higher costs for ratepayers must end.