A new head of the Australian Building and Construction Commission has been appointed to replace Nigel Hadgkiss who resigned in September after admitting he contravened the Fair Work Act.

Stephen McBurney will begin a five-year term as commissioner from 6 February. He served as an assistant commissioner (legal) for the ABCC from 2006 to 2008 and spent the last nine years investigating organised crime for the Victorian Office of Chief Examiner.

Federal workplace and deregulation minister, Craig Laundy, said in a statement on Friday that McBurney had been appointed “following a merit-based selection process”.

“In additional to his outstanding legal career, Mr McBurney was one of the AFL’s most experienced and highly regarded umpires, one of four umpires the 400-game milestone,” Laundy said.



Hadgkiss resigned a day after telling the then employment minister Michaelia Cash he had breached fair work laws between January 2014 and July 2016, misrepresenting union rights on ABCC posters and in handbooks.