Copperstring boss fires up

Master Builders’ cost claims ‘false’

director behind the $2bn Copperstring project has lashed out at the major power project for North Queensland being used for “political point scoring”.

A Master Builders commissioned report, conducted by Ernst and Young, warned that Labor’s plan to scrap construction watchdog the Australian Building and Construction Commission would result in increased industrial action.

It argued it would put up the cost of building the CopperString project, a 1000km highvoltage transmission network, by $180m with the additional costs likely to be passed on to energy consumers.

But Custring managing director Joseph O’brien (pictured), who leads the project, said Master Builders had not sought a briefing on the project and that its cost claims were “false and unfounded”.

“Copperstring will connect North and

North West Queensland to the National Electricity Market and deliver more affordable, more reliable and more sustainable electricity across the region, including for members of the Master Builders,” he said.

“It’s unfortunate Master Builders have sought to use a transformational project like Copperstring to make a political point in the last fortnight of the election campaign.”

Copperstring was one of four major Queensland projects, with HMAS Cairns, Skye Apartments and Beerburrum to Nambour Rail upgrade, worth a combined $20bn, which would rack up $2bn in additional costs, the report for Master Builders stated.

Master Builders Queensland acting CEO Paul Bidwell said the ABCC helped ensure the construction industry was “lawful, productive and efficient” by enforcing industrial laws.

“If there’s no strong policeman on the beat, if it was a free-for-all and unions could come on a whim, that has a negative impact on productivity,” he said.