Legislation to appoint an external administrator to the CFMEU construction arm has been stalled in the Senate after the opposition refused to support the bill without concessions on a minimum period and donation bans.
Negotiations are continuing after the coalition and Greens on Thursday teamed up to block the bill from being passed before the weekend.
Murray Watt is betting his "bottom dollar" that the CFMEU won't campaign for Labor at the election. (Mick Tsikas/AAP PHOTOS)
A final agreement hadn't been reached as of Monday morning, Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt said, but a number of coalition amendments had been agreed to.
"I'm certainly very hopeful after the weekend that we will (reach a deal), it's on them now to come to the party," he told ABC radio on Monday.
Opposition Leader Peter Dutton argued amendments were needed because Labor was being soft on the construction, which was rejected by the government who pointed to the action taken in the legislation.
"We're having this debate because the government is running against common sense and logic in the views of the majority of Australians," Mr Dutton told parliament.
The government initially agreed to extend the proposed maximum administration period from three to five years but the Liberals insisted on a three-year minimum being written into the law.
The administrator will also have to recommend the administration be ended before the minister takes action to prevent branches from being let off the hook early.
Points of contention remain over explicitly banning donations or political campaigning during the administration period.
Labor argues a prohibition could give the CFMEU the chance to argue the law is unconstitutional in the High Court.
But, given Labor had already suspended ties and donations from the construction branch and the administrator would be the only person in charge of decision-making, receiving money wasn't an issue, the government said.
Senator Watt also noted CFMEU officials had campaigned for other independents and minor parties including One Nation.
"And I can bet you, bottom dollar they're not going to be campaigning for us next time," he said in reference to the action Labor had taken against the union.
Building groups have been lobbying both sides to pass the legislation, arguing each day without external oversight is another day of delays at affected construction sites.
"I hope for your sake that the delay of the weekend ... has not led to money being transferred that we then find out about," senior minister Penny Wong told the opposition benches in the Senate chamber on Monday.
