Queensland union vows to spend Labor donations on fight for CFMEU

A major Queensland union will redirect all funds earmarked for Labor Party donations towards fighting the Commonwealth’s takeover of the CFMEU.

At a packed rally of CFMEU members and their supporters in Brisbane’s CBD on Tuesday, Electrical Trades Union state secretary Peter Ong accused the Albanese government of “treachery” and claimed Brisbane property developers were connected to organised crime, not union officials.

The Brisbane rally coincided with protests throughout the country after every branch of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime Employees Union’s construction division was placed into administration by the federal Labor government last week.

It followed the Building Bad investigation by this masthead, 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review, which aired allegations of corruption, coercion and bikie infiltration in the CFMEU.

“This is an attack on the trade union movement … done by what we thought were our own comrades,” Ong told the Brisbane crowd.

“We are redirecting all funds that might have previously gone to the Australian Labor Party towards a challenge against this legislation.

Peter Ong addresses the CFMEU rally in Queens Gardens.Credit: AAPIMAGE

“The people in our industry that are the criminals are the ones in the other team, the developers and the builders … half of them being criminals, mafia types.”

Former Queensland CFMEU secretary Michael Ravbar, swept from his role alongside 270 officials across Australia, said at the Brisbane rally he would be the applicant for a High Court challenge to the laws under a campaign dubbed “Your union, your choice”.

Union leaders have argued administration would restrict the ability of workers to stand up to their employers.

“This is without a doubt the greatest act of treachery against workers in this country, and it will not be forgotten, and it will not be forgiven,” Ong said.

“What they don’t understand is this is not an attack on the CFMEU. I can tell you now, they’ve already said it in parliament … the ETU is next.

“I’ve been told that in [federal Workplace Relations Minister] Murray Watt’s office, he’s saying this is just the beginning … who’s next after them, who’s next?”

The federal government had repeatedly said it believed the CFMEU would be better placed to represent members after administrators cleaned out corruption, and had not suggested other unions would be placed into administration.

Ong told Brisbane Times he had “no idea” why the government had chosen to crack down on the Queensland union.

“It’s taken away the CFMEU’s right to a fair trial ... and presumption of innocence,” he said.

“These are all positions that were democratically elected, and they’ve been vacated by the administrator.

“It’s an absolute disgrace and it’s made more treasonous and more horrific for us because it’s been done by a Labor government.

“We can’t understand it at all. This is purely a political attack across the board.”

A placard at Tuesday’s CFMEU rally in Brisbane featured a cartoon drawing of Prime Minister Anthony Albanese with a Hitler moustache and the word “Albanazi” beneath it. Another placard in Brisbane read: “Thatcher would be proud.”