Australia news LIVE: Coalition calls on Labor to de-register CFMEU; Vatican releases first photo of the Pope

Opposition Leader Peter Dutton will write to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese today asking for drafting resources to introduce new racketeering legislation in parliament next week, with the goal of “stamping out organised crime” in the CFMEU.

The Coalition is proposing new laws that would ensure police can pursue a criminal organisation itself, rather than just an individual, by showing a pattern of behaviour in law-breaking. Opposition workplace relations spokesperson Michaelia Cash invoked the US’s Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organisations Act, commonly known as RICO, when describing the proposal.

“In the United States, the pattern of behaviour is two offences in the last 10 years, so a pattern of behaviour under RICO laws is fundamentally different to the ordinary meaning of the word pattern of behaviour,” Cash said.

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“What that then means is this – the organisation itself, regardless of who committed the offence, is able to be prosecuted. It is a fundamental difference.”

Dutton added that he would make it a matter of urgency to get this legislated.

“I’m going to write to the prime minister today, asking for drafting resources and asking for this matter to be dealt with in the parliament next week. I think it has that urgency to it, and I think we have the basis upon which to build the legislation very quickly,” he said.

Federal parliament will return for three days next week, from March 25 to 27, including the handing down of the budget on Tuesday.