The CFMEU administrator has launched an investigation into the culture of violence in the Queensland construction industry after criticising the union’s past leaders for getting drawn into cycles of retaliation against anyone who opposed them.

Mark Irving KC on Tuesday announced in a statement he would force current and former CFMEU state officials to co-operate with an inquiry into “violence, threats of violence and menacing conduct” and flagged he would also look at employers who engaged in such behaviour.