Industrial Relations Minister Murray Watt and the prudential watchdog have put responsibility for any new director appointments at industry super giant Cbus back on the CFMEU administrator and the fund, days after the administrator nominated union heavyweight Paddy Crumlin for the board.

Mr Crumlin is boss of the Maritime Union of Australia and previously chaired Maritime Super, which the watchdog crowned the worst super fund in the country in 2021 before it was effectively forced to close.