Powerful inquiry to probe CFMEU's 'thug' culture
The announcement follows the release of a damning report into the controversial building union's Queensland branch, which found it was ruthless in pursuit of political, industrial and financial power.
Premier David Crisafulli said a commission of inquiry was the most powerful tool the government had to shine a light on a broken system and a culture of intimidation.
"We owe it to Queenslanders to get to the bottom of the CFMEU's intimidation, violence and bullying with a commission of inquiry," he said on Sunday.
"The violence, misogyny and standover tactics from the CFMEU have no place in Queensland, and this is the first step in delivering the change that's needed."
A commission of inquiry can compel witnesses to give evidence and recommend charges.
The construction and general division of the CFMEU was placed into administration nationwide in August amid claims bikie and organised crime figures had infiltrated the organisation.
Barrister Geoffrey Watson on Thursday released the results of his three-month investigation into violence and intimidatory behaviour by union officials, a probe he suggested some CFMEU figures tried to stymie.
"There was an obstinate refusal to co-operate from some critical witnesses with connections to the CFMEU," he said.
"It seems, sadly, that CFMEU officials are afflicted with widespread memory loss … I fear this investigation only scratched the surface of the violence in the Queensland CFMEU."
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said Mr Watson's investigation was hamstrung by the reluctance of witnesses and victims to come forward over fears of retribution.
But he said with the commission of inquiry, witnesses will be afforded protections and documents will be compelled to get to the bottom of "insidious militant behaviour that has terrorised Queensland for a decade".
Questioned on the cost of the inquiry, Mr Crisafulli said the government was working on the terms of reference and its timing.
He said there had been many examples of work sites being shut down for reasons that Mr Watson's report had shown were nothing more than a protection racket.
"Public offices stormed, women locked in rooms, independent family members harassed at where they work and where they play," the premier said.
"It's broken, and nothing short of a commission of inquiry will fix it."
A powerful inquiry will investigate the CFMEU's "thug" culture of coercive, bullying, intimidation and illegal practices, a state government says.
The announcement follows the release of a damning report into the controversial building union's Queensland branch, which found it was ruthless in pursuit of political, industrial and financial power.
Premier David Crisafulli said a commission of inquiry was the most powerful tool the government had to shine a light on a broken system and a culture of intimidation.
"We owe it to Queenslanders to get to the bottom of the CFMEU's intimidation, violence and bullying with a commission of inquiry," he said on Sunday.
"The violence, misogyny and standover tactics from the CFMEU have no place in Queensland, and this is the first step in delivering the change that's needed."
A commission of inquiry can compel witnesses to give evidence and recommend charges.
The construction and general division of the CFMEU was placed into administration nationwide in August amid claims bikie and organised crime figures had infiltrated the organisation.
Barrister Geoffrey Watson on Thursday released the results of his three-month investigation into violence and intimidatory behaviour by union officials, a probe he suggested some CFMEU figures tried to stymie.
"There was an obstinate refusal to co-operate from some critical witnesses with connections to the CFMEU," he said.
"It seems, sadly, that CFMEU officials are afflicted with widespread memory loss … I fear this investigation only scratched the surface of the violence in the Queensland CFMEU."
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said Mr Watson's investigation was hamstrung by the reluctance of witnesses and victims to come forward over fears of retribution.
But he said with the commission of inquiry, witnesses will be afforded protections and documents will be compelled to get to the bottom of "insidious militant behaviour that has terrorised Queensland for a decade".
Questioned on the cost of the inquiry, Mr Crisafulli said the government was working on the terms of reference and its timing.
He said there had been many examples of work sites being shut down for reasons that Mr Watson's report had shown were nothing more than a protection racket.
"Public offices stormed, women locked in rooms, independent family members harassed at where they work and where they play," the premier said.
"It's broken, and nothing short of a commission of inquiry will fix it."
A powerful inquiry will investigate the CFMEU's "thug" culture of coercive, bullying, intimidation and illegal practices, a state government says.
The announcement follows the release of a damning report into the controversial building union's Queensland branch, which found it was ruthless in pursuit of political, industrial and financial power.
Premier David Crisafulli said a commission of inquiry was the most powerful tool the government had to shine a light on a broken system and a culture of intimidation.
"We owe it to Queenslanders to get to the bottom of the CFMEU's intimidation, violence and bullying with a commission of inquiry," he said on Sunday.
"The violence, misogyny and standover tactics from the CFMEU have no place in Queensland, and this is the first step in delivering the change that's needed."
A commission of inquiry can compel witnesses to give evidence and recommend charges.
The construction and general division of the CFMEU was placed into administration nationwide in August amid claims bikie and organised crime figures had infiltrated the organisation.
Barrister Geoffrey Watson on Thursday released the results of his three-month investigation into violence and intimidatory behaviour by union officials, a probe he suggested some CFMEU figures tried to stymie.
"There was an obstinate refusal to co-operate from some critical witnesses with connections to the CFMEU," he said.
"It seems, sadly, that CFMEU officials are afflicted with widespread memory loss … I fear this investigation only scratched the surface of the violence in the Queensland CFMEU."
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said Mr Watson's investigation was hamstrung by the reluctance of witnesses and victims to come forward over fears of retribution.
But he said with the commission of inquiry, witnesses will be afforded protections and documents will be compelled to get to the bottom of "insidious militant behaviour that has terrorised Queensland for a decade".
Questioned on the cost of the inquiry, Mr Crisafulli said the government was working on the terms of reference and its timing.
He said there had been many examples of work sites being shut down for reasons that Mr Watson's report had shown were nothing more than a protection racket.
"Public offices stormed, women locked in rooms, independent family members harassed at where they work and where they play," the premier said.
"It's broken, and nothing short of a commission of inquiry will fix it."
A powerful inquiry will investigate the CFMEU's "thug" culture of coercive, bullying, intimidation and illegal practices, a state government says.
The announcement follows the release of a damning report into the controversial building union's Queensland branch, which found it was ruthless in pursuit of political, industrial and financial power.
Premier David Crisafulli said a commission of inquiry was the most powerful tool the government had to shine a light on a broken system and a culture of intimidation.
"We owe it to Queenslanders to get to the bottom of the CFMEU's intimidation, violence and bullying with a commission of inquiry," he said on Sunday.
"The violence, misogyny and standover tactics from the CFMEU have no place in Queensland, and this is the first step in delivering the change that's needed."
A commission of inquiry can compel witnesses to give evidence and recommend charges.
The construction and general division of the CFMEU was placed into administration nationwide in August amid claims bikie and organised crime figures had infiltrated the organisation.
Barrister Geoffrey Watson on Thursday released the results of his three-month investigation into violence and intimidatory behaviour by union officials, a probe he suggested some CFMEU figures tried to stymie.
"There was an obstinate refusal to co-operate from some critical witnesses with connections to the CFMEU," he said.
"It seems, sadly, that CFMEU officials are afflicted with widespread memory loss … I fear this investigation only scratched the surface of the violence in the Queensland CFMEU."
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie said Mr Watson's investigation was hamstrung by the reluctance of witnesses and victims to come forward over fears of retribution.
But he said with the commission of inquiry, witnesses will be afforded protections and documents will be compelled to get to the bottom of "insidious militant behaviour that has terrorised Queensland for a decade".
Questioned on the cost of the inquiry, Mr Crisafulli said the government was working on the terms of reference and its timing.
He said there had been many examples of work sites being shut down for reasons that Mr Watson's report had shown were nothing more than a protection racket.
"Public offices stormed, women locked in rooms, independent family members harassed at where they work and where they play," the premier said.
"It's broken, and nothing short of a commission of inquiry will fix it."
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Sydney Morning Herald
18 hours ago
- Sydney Morning Herald
Union interference added $22 million to major Brisbane build site: Premier
The actions of the CFMEU at Brisbane's Centenary Bridge Upgrade job site added $22 million to the project, Premier David Crisafulli claims. Speaking a day after announcing a powerful inquiry into the union's 'thug' culture of bullying and intimidation, Crisafulli said 'direct costs because of the behaviour of the CFMEU', including workplace support and fencing and security to keep officials and protesting workers away from the site, amounted to $22 million. 'I'm not even factoring in the costs of project blowouts because of time and the kind of intimidation … I'm talking about the direct costs on one site because of the behaviour of one union,' Crisafulli told reporters on Monday morning. Crisafulli announced the commission of inquiry on Sunday after a damning 45-page report found the Queensland branch of the controversial building union cultivated a culture of violence, which was 'eagerly executed' by some union organisers, delegates and rank-and-file members. The report, by barrister Geoffrey Watson, found the Queensland union's former leadership Michael Ravbar and Jade Ingham oversaw a culture of abuse and harassment that included threats and intimidation of women and children. The construction and general division of the CFMEU was placed into administration nationwide last year amid claims bikie and organised crime figures had infiltrated the organisation. Crisafulli promised support for witnesses during the inquiry, which was due to begin in August and run for 12 months. 'I'm mindful if we don't do this quickly we run the risk of enabling this behaviour to continue in the shadows,' he said.
The Age
18 hours ago
- The Age
Union interference added $22 million to major Brisbane build site: Premier
The actions of the CFMEU at Brisbane's Centenary Bridge Upgrade job site added $22 million to the project, Premier David Crisafulli claims. Speaking a day after announcing a powerful inquiry into the union's 'thug' culture of bullying and intimidation, Crisafulli said 'direct costs because of the behaviour of the CFMEU', including workplace support and fencing and security to keep officials and protesting workers away from the site, amounted to $22 million. 'I'm not even factoring in the costs of project blowouts because of time and the kind of intimidation … I'm talking about the direct costs on one site because of the behaviour of one union,' Crisafulli told reporters on Monday morning. Crisafulli announced the commission of inquiry on Sunday after a damning 45-page report found the Queensland branch of the controversial building union cultivated a culture of violence, which was 'eagerly executed' by some union organisers, delegates and rank-and-file members. The report, by barrister Geoffrey Watson, found the Queensland union's former leadership Michael Ravbar and Jade Ingham oversaw a culture of abuse and harassment that included threats and intimidation of women and children. The construction and general division of the CFMEU was placed into administration nationwide last year amid claims bikie and organised crime figures had infiltrated the organisation. Crisafulli promised support for witnesses during the inquiry, which was due to begin in August and run for 12 months. 'I'm mindful if we don't do this quickly we run the risk of enabling this behaviour to continue in the shadows,' he said.
ABC News
20 hours ago
- ABC News
CFMEU violence cost Queensland government $22 million on one job site, premier says
The "thuggery" of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) cost taxpayers an additional $22 million on one project alone, the Queensland government says. Premier David Crisafulli made the claim a day after announcing the Queensland government would launch a commission of inquiry into allegations of a culture of violence within the state branch of the union. Mr Crisafulli said the union's disruptive tactics had included blocking deliveries and threatening workers. As a result, additional fencing, lighting and CCTV had to be installed at the site and security was ramped up, which had cost $22 million since February last year. One incident at the site was referenced in a damning report into the union released last week. Barrister Geoffrey Watson detailed an occasion where more than ten CFMEU members surrounded a car being driven by two AWU organisers when they were leaving the site in February last year. As captured on a dash cam, a group of workers began rocking the car and shouting at those inside. Mr Watson said the identity of "most" of those involved was still unknown. Mr Crisafulli on Monday said the incident "typified the thuggery of the CFMEU" and was a consequence of having a "militant union". Mr Crisafulli said no one involved in that incident had been held to account for their behaviour. Transport Minister Brent Mickelberg said the costs associated with delays and the CFMEU "deliberately" trying to interrupt work was a large portion of an additional $55 million which had been directed towards the Centenary Bridge upgrade. He said 70 days of work had been lost. "They would deliberately protest on days where there [were] critical tasks," he said. A commission of inquiry can compel witnesses to give evidence, and charges can be recommended once completed. Mr Crisafulli has described it as the "strongest lever" available to the government. There's no details on cost for the commission, but the premier said on Monday he would like to see it begin next month and run for around a year. Mr Crisafulli promised the commission would provide an additional level of protection for witnesses to come forward. The commission of inquiry has been welcomed by the Property Council and the Civil Contractors' Federation. Mr Crisafulli said he did not see a place for the CFMEU in Queensland under its current business model. Instead, he's promised to return "productivity to job sites". "I yearn for a day when the likes of the CFMEU aren't in business and they're replaced with the kind of unions that actually care about their workers ... and productivity," he said. Mr Watson was commissioned to write the report by Queensland administrator Mark Irving KC. The Queensland branch of the union was placed into administration last year following allegations the Victorian branch was linked to bikie gangs and crime syndicates. The report was based on 60 interviews Mr Watson conducted. It detailed the union's use of violence to "support a pursuit of political, industrial and financial power" and alleged that violence or threats were used against women, workplace health and safety inspectors and in some cases, against politicians. Several former key figures in the union, including secretary Michael Ravbar and assistant secretary Jade Ingham, who were accused of having "cultivated a culture of violence" declined Mr Watson's multiple requests for interviews. Mr Watson described an "obstinate refusal to co-operate from some critical witnesses" as well as others who had been "afflicted with widespread memory loss". Mr Ravbar has rejected the allegations made by the report and told the ABC last week he had nothing to fear from a commission of inquiry. The CFMEU administrators declined to comment. Mr Crisafulli said the government had referred the allegations in the report to police and the state's Crime and Corruption Commission.
