Editorial: Royal commission into CFMEU a must

As a community we have a responsibility to hold rogue elements of the CFMEU to account, to prove they are not untouchable, writes the editor. VOTE IN OUR POLL

As shocking as the report into the behaviour of the militant CFMEU construction union is, reading the report you also cannot help but be struck by the limitations of the process undertaken by Geoffrey Watson SC at the behest of the union’s administrator.

His shocking account of the threats, the violence, the misogyny and the political interference by the CFMEU in Queensland over the past decade was based on the evidence of just 55 people. It is clear this investigation has only just scratched the surface of this issue – a concession made in the report.

“There are many other potential witnesses and many other stories which could have been told,” Mr Watson wrote.

A photo used in the report into the CFMEU.

Further, his inability to compel witnesses to appear meant union leaders just refused to engage in the probe. “There was an obstinate refusal to co-operate from some critical witnesses with connections to the CFMEU,” he wrote. “It seems, sadly, that CFMEU officials are afflicted with widespread memory loss.” Others “even gave palpably false answers”.

Further, he concedes the public version of his report has “been deliberately framed to prevent repercussions against those who have provided assistance” – and so, because he cannot provide any real protection to those who had the courage to tell the truth, the full potential of necessary change from his probe is limited.

Mr Watson ended up making seven recommendations for change but none related to recommending criminal charges – for one simple reason: He did not have the power to do so.

The conclusion is simple: This report underlines the need for a full, independent Royal Commission into the CFMEU’s activities in Queensland over the past decade. Premier David Crisafulli should move to set one up as soon as possible. It is only through the type of proper ventilation that only a Royal Commission can deliver that the full extent of what has actually been going on will be exposed – and recommendations made to ensure it can never happen again.

How bad was this culture? Well, it is rare that such a report has to carry a warning to its readers. But so shocking were the problems Mr Watson uncovered that he saw fit to warn: “Some of which follows in this report will certainly be distressing to some readers. It includes violence and threats toward women and, in one instance, toward a child”.

We do not make this call for a Royal Commission lightly. We are not fans of taxpayer money being spent unnecessarily. But as we said yesterday in this column, we are talking here about an organisation now confirmed – in the words of its own administrator – to be “violent, cruel, and misogynist”; that treated the family members (including kids) of those who refused to accede to its demands “as fair game for abuse, threats and intimidation”.

That administrator – Mark Irving KC – further warned that those who are responsible for such “deplorable and shameful” actions consider themselves to be “untouchable”.

He has vowed to do everything in his power to deliver justice, which will include dismissing anyone still working there who is among those responsible – and those who are still taking directions from the crooked, but now dismissed, leadership team.

But surely as a community we also have a responsibility to do the same – to do everything possible to hold those responsible to account, to prove they are not untouchable.

We also clearly need to examine how this culture was allowed to flourish so it can never happen again.

And the reality is that the only way to guarantee all of that is through a royal commission.

MAROONS LIFT FOR BRAVE SKIPPER

Wednesday night’s State of Origin triumph was a vindication of the way the Maroons go about their business.

No one really gave them much of a chance. Queensland pundits had them winning by a point. New South Wales pundits had their team winning by 20.

But what unfolded looked nothing like the predictions. The unheralded Maroons, compared both favourably and unfavourably to “Fatty’s Nevilles” from 1995, hit the ground running and put all the pressure straight back onto the Blues.

It was clear that coach Billy Slater had worked wonders with his charges, instilling in them the belief that comes with wearing the maroon jumper and assigning everyone a clear role that they all executed to perfection.

The Blues, God bless them, still don’t know what hit them.

However Wednesday’s match wasn’t about gloating or bitter rivalry. The untimely death of Steven Munster, the father of Maroons skipper Cam, put the game into sharp perspective.

We hope that the respect that Munster was shown by the NSW players and fans, and the love that he was shown by Queenslanders, has given him some comfort during such a tough time.

Responsibility for election comment is taken by Chris Jones, corner of Mayne Rd & Campbell St, Bowen Hills, Qld 4006. Printed and published by NEWSQUEENSLAND (ACN 009 661 778). Contact details here