Premier Chris Minns moves to suspend CFMEU from NSW Labor Party
Fears organised crime has infiltrated the CFMEU construction division’s NSW operations will be probed by an independent administrator after the premier moved to boot the union’s construction wing from the state ALP.
NSW
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Fears that organised crime has infiltrated the CFMEU construction division’s NSW operations will be probed by an independent administrator put in charge to run the union’s state operations.
Premier Chris Minns announced on Wednesday he would move to put an administrator in charge of the embattled union after moving to boot the CFMEU’s construction wing from the NSW ALP.
Mr Minns extraordinary move comes after NSW secretary Darren Greenfield was charged with a series of bribery offences and the publication of photos on Wednesday allegedly capturing one of the offences.
Mr Minns wrote to NSW ALP General Secretary Dominic Ofner on Wednesday asking for the union’s affiliation with Labor to be suspended.
Sussex Street was on Wednesday expected to take steps to suspend ties with the CFMEU’s construction wing while also writing to Labor’s federal executive supporting a nationwide suspension.
“ I expect for the Administrative Committee will meet soon and ensure that through the New South Wales branch and the national executive that action is taken in short order,” Mr Minns said.
The NSW government has moved to appoint an administrator to run the union’s state-based operations in addition to the one announced by federal Minister Tony Burke.
“We will work cooperatively with the federal government to ensure that the actions can take place as much as possible in tandem with the federal system,” Treasurer Daniel Mookhey said.
Earlier, the premier and treasurer issued a joint statement stating: “It is clear the CFMEU Construction and General Division will not and cannot clean itself up.
“There is absolutely no tolerance for criminal or corrupt behaviour in the building industry, in unions or anywhere for that matter.
Acting NSW Opposition Spokesman Damien Tudehope said the Premier’s statement is an insult to every honest worker in this state.
“NSW Labor have been in bed with the CFMEU, accepting their tainted money and bowing to their demands for years,” he said.
Mr Tudehope accused the Premier of pretending to take action in the wake of damning allegations.
“This is nothing more than political theatre. The people of NSW deserve a leader who genuinely stands against corruption, not one who only acts when his party is caught out,” he said.
Mr Minns extraordinary move to boot the CFMEU from the Labor Party comes after NSW secretary Darren Greenfield was charged with a series of bribery offences in 2021.
Court documents reveal Mr Greenfield was charged with four bribery offences dating between 2018 and 2020.
Nine Newspapers have now published photos allegedly capturing one of the offences, on June 19 in 2020 in Pyrmont.
Mr Greenfield is also charged with soliciting or receiving a corrupting benefit on November 3 2018, December 6 in 2018, and May 15 in 2019.
Mr Greenfield has denied wrongdoing and plans to fight the charges. He is due back in court next month.
Mr Minns moved to suspend Mr Greenfield from the ALP in 2021 but has taken until now to move against the CFMEU Construction division itself.
The Daily Telegraph on Wednesday revealed the scandal-plagued CFMEU has close ties to a number of Labor MPs including two who have praised Greenfield since he was charged with bribery offences.
One CFMEU-backed MP, Anthony D’Adam, was sacked as a parliamentary secretary in May after he launched an incendiary attack on the NSW Police, likening officers to an “occupying force”.
Mr Greenfield and the CFMEU’s construction wing later explosively called for Mr D’Adam to be reinstated.
Another MP backed by the union, Upper House MP Cameron Murphy, owes his election in large part to support from CFMEU’s construction wing. The union backed Mr Murphy in a bloody intra-factional dispute at Labor’s 2022 conference.
Mr Murphy earlier this year broke ranks to criticise bail reforms designed to crack down on regional youth crime.
Mr D’Adam and Mr Murphy have both declared their public support for Mr Greenfield in the years after he was charged with the bribery offences, after allegedly accepting a series of $5000 kickbacks from a construction company.
Meanwhile, Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus said Australians need to “stand up against organised crime” and denies she was aware of alleged crime syndicates within the Victorian branch of the CFMEU.
Speaking on ABC’s 7.30, she said it needs to be clear what is being dealt with, saying organised crime has “infiltrated one of our unions”.
It comes as the Victorian construction branch of the CFMEU faces allegations of intimidation, union thuggery, and employing bikies and people with organised crime links on government-funded construction sites.
An ongoing Nine media investigation prompted the resignation last Friday of the union’s Victorian state secretary John Setka, who denies the allegations, calling them ‘malicious attacks’.
Speaking on Tuesday evening, Ms McManus said: “This is a serious matter and we will not tolerate it, we will stand up against it, we will do whatever is necessary to kick them back out of our movement and to close the door shut”.
“It’s a serious matter when organised crime get their tentacles into any union and every measure has to be taken to get rid of them.”
Ms McManus said union members should cooperate with police.
“Once you know that organised crime is actually in a union, you’ve got to take measures to do everything you can to get rid of it,” she said
On Wednesday morning, Premier Minns and Treasurer Mookhey also said the NSW Construction Compliance Unit would work with federal regulatory bodies and act on any allegations.
“We must take the necessary action to protect honest and hardworking construction workers and union members. It is necessary to protect the integrity of the construction sector and unions in NSW,” they said.
The NSW Government said it would provide an update on other action it intended to take later on Wednesday.
Originally published as Premier Chris Minns moves to suspend CFMEU from NSW Labor Party
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