The head of the local CFMEU branch is set to take on one of the nation's most powerful trade union roles.
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Zach Smith will be the next secretary of the union's national construction division following the retirement of long-serving official Dave Noonan.
Mr Smith has risen through the ranks of Canberra's construction union, replacing Jason O'Mara in the branch's top role.
He is also an influential figure within ACT Labor, using his union position to push the Barr government to crack down on property developers and offer a pay rise for some of the capital's lowest-paid workers.
Mr Smith has been a target for Canberra's peak builders group, which in September 2020 called for him and Mr O'Mara to be sacked from ACT government board positions after being fined for breaching right-of-entry laws.
His elevation to the national role still needs to be rubber-stamped, but it is all but confirmed after he secured the backing of his fellow branch secretaries.
The position will make him one of the nation's most significant trade union leaders at a time the new federal Labor government is pursuing major industrial relations reforms, including the abolition of the building industry watchdog.
"I'm deeply honoured to have the support of Dave Noonan and my fellow branch secretaries to take on the national secretary role," Mr Smith told The Canberra Times.
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"Dave's been a remarkable leader for a very long time and I'm proud to have his endorsement.
"Our union's a democratic organisation and I'm respectful of the fact there's a process that will take place before any decision is made, but I will say I'm very excited about the prospect of taking on this role."
"The CFMEU is a great union because we are unyielding and unapologetic when we fight for safe sites, decent pay, and fair conditions for workers.
"I'm eager to ensure that fight gets taken up with energy at the national level."
Mr Noonan has been a prominent advocate for action on workplace fatalities and injuries, wage theft and the exploitation of visa workers during a 15-year stint in the role. Mr Smith is expected to start in the new position early next year.
With AAP
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
Dan covers federal politics from Parliament House, with a special focus on climate policy and the NDIS. He has previously reported on ACT politics and urban affairs since joining the Canberra Times in 2018.
