‘Bullying, intimidation’: Premier Steven Miles urged to disassociate with ‘thuggish’ CFMEU

Industry insiders have demanded Premier Steven Miles cut ties with the Qld CFMEU, claiming bullying, harassment and standover tactics are rife on worksites.

Major contractors, business owners and the state opposition have demanded Premier Steven Miles cut ties with the Queensland CFMEU, claiming bullying, harassment and standover tactics remain rife on the state’s construction sites.

The CFMEU’s Victorian branch was put into administration on Monday and the national office seized its executive powers, following allegations of corruption and standover tactics linked to that state’s $100bn big build program.

The state government on Monday played down claims of similar issues in Queensland but has encouraged anybody with any similar claims to contact authorities.

CFMEU blocking workers at the site of the Cross River Rail station Dutton Park earlier this year. Picture: Liam Kidston

Queensland Major Contractors Association chief executive Andrew Chapman said the problems within the CFMEU were “not an isolated case to Victoria”.

“The level of disruption, bullying and harassment is the same in Queensland,” he said.

“We know contractors who told us the CFMEU in Victoria has said don’t deal with the CFMEU in Queensland – they’re ratbags.

“It’s not about achieving good outcomes … it’s about taking complete control.”

In Queensland, the construction division of the CFMEU is at war with the Australian Workers Union on major government-run construction sites, including the Centenary Bridge upgrade project, where there have been reports of intimidation, assault and vandalism.

“The aim is to push out the AWU and take complete control of the construction sector in Queensland and hold it to ransom like they do in Victoria,” Mr Chapman said.

“The (government’s) Best Practice Industry Conditions has aided and abetted this.

“We’ve tried to make the state government aware of this … they didn’t want to meet with us.”

One business owner, speaking to The Courier-Mail anonymously due to fear of retribution, said the lack of union members in the company promoted the CFMEU to make “life difficult” and called on the government to act against intimidation tactics.

The Queensland CFMEU branch declined to comment. But CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said an independent investigation would probe allegations of wrongdoing, which he pledged to stamp out.

Mr Miles did not say whether he believed the CFMEU engaged in standover tactics or bullying on Queensland construction sites, but said reports from interstate were “very concerning”.

Members of the CFMEU protest outside Parliament House in Brisbane in September last year. Picture: Dan Peled / NCA NewsWire

“It’s not unionism. Unions are about representing the rights of workers,” he said.

“The federal Industrial Relations Minister said he’s not taking anything off the table – I support that approach.

“I encourage anyone with allegations of wrongdoing to take them to the police. Queensland already has some of the toughest organised crime laws in the country.”

Mr Miles said he would “continue to engage with them where appropriate” to discuss the safety and rights of workers.

The Labor premiers of NSW and Victoria, Chris Minns and Jacinta Allan, said they would refuse political donations from the CFMEU.

Ms Allan described the union’s actions as “thuggish, unacceptable behaviour at its worst” and has asked for the CFMEU’s construction division to be suspended from the Victorian Labor Party. Mr Minns said the CFMEU’s NSW state secretary Darren Greenfield “should go”. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese welcomed the administration move for the Victorian CFMEU branch, while Treasurer Jim Chalmers said the allegations facing it were “completely and absolutely unacceptable”.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie called on Mr Miles to disassociate from the CFMEU in Queensland and reinstate Annastacia Palaszczuk’s ban on meeting with them.

Mr Bleijie cited the Nine report which aired allegations of “corruption, fear, intimidation, thuggery” and said “this has been happening on construction sites in Queensland”.

“I’ve been raising these issues with this Labor government for 10 years,” he said.

“They have allowed this behaviour to continue in Queensland and it has to stop – it’s about time the Labor Party put the CFMEU in the bin.

“Steven Miles must show leadership today, disassociate with the CFMEU, pay back the money and stop meeting them.”

Housing Minister Meaghan Scanlon acknowledged there were “concerning allegations that have been put forward” in Victoria, but poured water on questions whether the issue had spread to Queensland.

When asked if she believed the CFMEU engaged in stand over or bullying tactics north of the border, Ms Scanlon said that was “for commentators” to determine.

“If there’s any allegation of wrongdoing or criminal behaviour there are appropriate steps for those matters to be referred and investigated and there are consequences,” she said.

Earlier this year protest activity at Cross River Rail descended into chaos when a brawl erupted at the Dutton Park site.

Sources told The Courier-Mail the scuffle happened when frustrated subcontractors were attempting to access the site to work, only to be confronted by men – some wearing CFMEU-branded attire – blocking access.

In 2022, the union stormed the Department of Transport and Main Roads building, forcing staff to hide.

That incident prompted Annastacia Palaszczuk to stop meeting with union officials.

Mr Miles has met CFMEU representatives twice since becoming Premier, according to diary entries.