Crowd-funding ban push for CFMEU on Covid breach claim

The construction watchdog is using an alleged Covid-Safe breach case to push for banning the CFMEU from using crowd-funding to pay court-issued fines.

Crowd-funding to pay for CFMEU officials fines would be banned if a Brisbane court case brought by the construction watchdog succeeds.

Two officials from the militant construction union have been accused of refusing to sign into a South Brisbane construction site for occupational health and safety and Covid-Safe declarations in November.

But CFMEU Queensland boss Michael Ravbar blasted it as “an outrageous and baseless action” and “cynical waste of taxpayer dollars”, saying the union had been working with other unions and Master Builders to keep construction sites Covid-safe over the past 18 months.

CFMEU construction division secretary Michael Ravbar. Picture: News Corp/Attila Csaszar

The Australian Building Construction Commission is seeking to have Personal Payment Orders handed down, which require the individual and not the union, to pay their fees.

But other PPOs handed down in other states have been paid through crowd-funding via Facebook or other means, so the ABCC is seeking an order from the courts to prevent this if they are successful.

Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) Commissioner Stephen McBurney. Picture: AAP Image/Mick Tsikas

The ABCC is alleging two officials, Andrew Blakeley and Beau Seiffert, breached the Fair Work Act by ignoring reasonable requests to sign in on an occupational health and safety form and make a Covid declaration.

In a statement, the ABCC said that if it was successful in the Federal Court action it was seek PPOs against two officials including a specific order that the penalties “be paid personally by the officers and not paid or reimbursed directly or indirectly by the CFMMEU or through crowd-funding”.

It is being considered a test case by the watchdog.

But Mr Ravbar said the claims would be defended and that their organisers complied with all Covid safe requirements and registrations at all times.

“It is our hard work and diligence during this difficult period which has kept the Queensland construction industry working,” he said.

“The ABCC has been missing in action, and is instead looking for groundless and vexatious legal actions to justify its costly existence.”

He said it was “egregious” for the ABCC to pre-empt penalties before than court had considered the case.