(Photo: CFMEU)
February 22, 2015
A union has warned that unsafe frozen berries are only the “tip of the iceberg” when it comes to unsafe imports from China.
The Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) said some imported building products failed to comply with Australian Standards.
It fears a “deluge” of unsafe imports is looming from the China Australia Free Trade Agreement.
“Many building materials imported from China do not meet Australian regulations and standards,” CFMEU National Secretary Michael O’Connor said.
“Not only has (Prime Minister) Tony Abbott broken a promise to fix this, the removal of tariffs under an Australia-China FTA could pave the way for even more unsafe building products to flood into the country.
“The use of cheap, unsafe imported building supplies has been increasing. There have been countless incidents around the country where unsafe building materials have posed a danger to public safety, and have had to be replaced at considerable cost.
“This week we’ve seen first hand the public health risk through lax regulation on imported food. It’s only a matter of time before unsafe imported building products pose a serious risk to public safety.
“The risk of a pane of dodgy glass falling out onto the street and causing serious harm is every bit as real as the risk of Hepatitis A from imported berries.”
The union said the use of sub-standard building materials had resulted in expensive and potentially dangerous safety and quality compromises around Australia, including:
- Sub-standard cable imported from China, the potential cause of electrical shock and fire, installed in 80,000 Australian houses being recalled.
- 200 panes of glass falling from the Waterfront Place building in Brisbane
- The ASIO Government building in Canberra losing about 21 panels
- Windows in a 24-storey development in Perth having to be replaced
- Grocon having to replace half the glass in its building at 150 Collins Street Melbourne, at an estimated cost of $18 million
The CFMEU is urging Senators, through the Senate Estimates process, to raise the matter with the ACCC and the Department of Industry.
