The Canberra Liberals want the ACT Government to cut all financial and political links with the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU).

They moved a motion in the Legislative Assembly that would force the government to stop taking donations from the union, pending the outcome of the trade union royal commission.

It comes after commission hearings that heard allegations of corruption, bullying, blackmail, standover tactics and threats as everyday behaviours of the CFMEU.

Two CFMEU officials have been arrested for alleged blackmail offences, while an associate was arrested on a charge of misleading the commission since the inquiry was launched.

In one hearing, ACT CFMEU branch secretary Dean Hall told the commission that money from a union-controlled training company was given to the ACT Labor Party and Greens.

Opposition spokesperson Andrew Wall says the union gave the left-leaning parties over $300,000 since they formed Government.

“Almost $92,000 to the Greens and in excess of $214,000 to the Labor Party. That is a substantial amount of money,” he said.

“They are largely the beneficiaries of the activities that the union conduct.

“I think it is only fair that [as] the Labor-Greens Government are the recipients of substantial financial contributions from the CFMEU and their affiliated bodies, being the Tradies club, that that relationship is at least suspended.

“Accepting money that might be coming from unscrupulous or criminal activity I think is simply unacceptable.

“I think it's only fair for the integrity of the Government and for the conscience of the rest of the community to be able to say that the Government is acting morally.”

The Government has defended its union links, saying the allegations made in royal commission sessions did not represent the entire union.

Minister for Workplace Safety and Industrial Relations Mick Gentleman has pledged to “continue to defend the rights of CFMEU”.

“It is my view that the active participation of trade unions in the health and safety field has helped to improve safety standards and reduce the number of serious accidents in the workplace,” he said.

“In the case of the construction industry, the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union have also played a pivotal role in reducing workplace deaths on building sites and I welcome the ongoing involvement of the CFMEU in this regard.

“It is my view that any evidence of corrupt practice or blackmail should be referred to and appropriately dealt with and investigated by the police.”