Industrial Relations Minister Michael Pettersson has defended his membership of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Union in the wake of an investigation that found a top public servant and senior ministerial staffer had acted corruptly to favour the union's interests.
"I'm a very proud member of the trade union movement. I think it's a very good thing. I wish more members of the Assembly were," Mr Pettersson told budget estimates on Tuesday.
The Canberra Liberals have been calling for ministers and Labor staff to cancel their memberships of the CFMEU following the release of the Integrity Commission's Operation Kingfisher report, which prompted long-serving deputy chief minister Yvette Berry to resign from cabinet.
Mr Pettersson also defended having Unions ACT and CFMEU representatives on the Secure Local Jobs Code advisory council following the corruption investigation.
"I think the interests of workers deserve proper representation, and I think it's appropriate workers put forward who they think their representatives should be," he said.
Opposition Leader Mark Parton asked whether it was appropriate the Industrial Relations Minister remained a card-carrying member of the CFMEU.
Mr Pettersson said: "I don't really place a lot of weight on the views of the Canberra Liberals when it comes to membership of trade unions."
Chief Minister Andrew Barr last week told estimates he was not about to launch a "McCarthyist ... witch-hunt of people's membership of organisations" and rejected the assertion Mr Pettersson was a "puppet for the CFMEU".
"The minister is his own man and does not take orders from anyone in the CFMEU," Mr Barr said.
The Chief Minister said in response to opposition questioning he thought the principle of freedom of association was one that was pretty dear to the heart of the Liberal Party.
"I think it's important to acknowledge a number of things. Firstly, that the CFMEU is no longer affiliated to the Australian Labor Party in any state or territory branch, that the union is in administration at this point in time.
"But an individual's membership of an organisation does not in and of itself mean that they are either under the influence of that organisation or as an individual subject to any adverse findings against, for example, the leadership or other members of that organisation."
The Operation Kingfisher investigation found the former head of the Education Directorate and then education minister Yvette Berry's former chief of staff had engaged in serious corrupt conduct in the handling of a primary school expansion tender.
Ms Berry was cleared of wrongdoing by the corruption watchdog but resigned from cabinet, taking responsibility for her staffer's actions.
Mr Pettersson's declaration of interests indicates the member for Yerrabi is a member of the CFMEU, which has been deaffiliated from Labor and put into administration in the wake of damaging allegations about corruption, coercion and the union's links to organised crime.
Mr Pettersson worked for the CFMEU as an industrial officer before his election to the Assembly in 2016 and the union backed him for preselection and supported his campaign. Mr Pettersson's links to the union in 2018 forced the then backbencher to sensationally swap his membership of Labor's Right faction for the Left.
