CFMEU thugs, Labor pollies in firing line as state pulls trigger on inquiry
A landmark commission of inquiry into the CFMEU could start as soon as next month and would have extraordinary powers to access information.
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A landmark commission of inquiry will be tasked with exposing and destroying the culture of violence, misogyny and intimidation inside the CFMEU.
Making the announcement on Sunday, Premier David Crisafulli said the commission of inquiry could start as early as next month, and vowed it would provide the full power to compel witnesses,including victims, to give evidence.
The inquiry will provide extraordinary powers to access relevant documentation.
The royal commission-style inquiry will have the power to, for the first time, compel CFMEU officials to give evidence, and it will provide protection to witnesses fearing retribution from the militant union.
It could also recommend charges be laid against anyone suspected of committing an offence.
However, who is set to lead the inquiry, the terms of reference, duration and cost is yet to be determined by the government.
A separate inquiry into the state’s child safety system is expected to take 17 months and cost about $20m – $40,000 per day.
“One way or another, a commission of inquiry gives the full power to be able to compel people, and they are under oath and have to explain their side of the story,” the Premier said on Sunday.
“It can’t be the memory loss, there can’t be the obfuscation. It is our moment to clean up the culture of bullying and intimidation and misogyny, and we aren’t going to miss the opportunity to bring productivity back to work sites, but also to keep people safe, and that’s what this is about.”
He said the terms of reference would focus on the findings of the report and the history that has enabled the behaviour of the CFMEU to flourish.
Witnesses, including victims, that could be compelled to give evidence include the site operators, CFMEU officials, workplace health and safety officers, as well as former Labor ministers.
Mr Crisafulli has vowed there would be protections for witnesses who previously felt unsafe to give evidence, including private hearings.
Any further protections for witnesses would be detailed in the terms of reference, as well as any contempt powers for those not willing to cooperate.
“That’s why we’ve gone to this extent, we want to give the protection for those to be able to tell what life was like working under these thugs and bullies, particularly women and children,” Mr Crisafulli said.
Opposition Leader Steven Miles offered his bipartisan support towards the inquiry, despite calling for the CCC to conduct their own public inquiry as a cheaper alternative, and said Labor would cooperate in any way necessary.
“I’ve also offered to jointly meet with the administrator of the CFMEU, with the government, to determine if there are any other actions that would assist administrative work to return the CFMEU to normality,” he said.
The commission of inquiry has been launched after years of violent and intimidatory incidents committed by CFMEU members against rival unions, ministers and construction stakeholders on building sites and boardrooms across South East Queensland.
As revealed in The Sunday Mail, the state government decided to pull the trigger on a commission of inquiry after Geoffrey Watson SC’s bombshell report on Wednesday night detailed the extent and seriousness of incidents.
It revealed women and children had been targeted by the CFMEU, and one Cross River Rail worker was told “there’s a bullet with your name on it”.
The 45-page report revealed former leaders Michael Ravbar and Jade Ingham purposely designed the union’s structure for political and financial gain. There is no suggestion that Mr Ravbar or Mr Ingham committed acts of violence.
Mr Ravbar rejected the findings of the review, stating it was “riddled with errors” and based on “selective and untested” accounts.
“It is astonishing and deeply concerning that such baseless claims were included in a report purporting to be a serious investigation,” he said.
However, Mr Watson said his report only “scratched the surface” of incidents and noted many witnesses were “deliberately unhelpful and even gave palpably false answers”.
Others refused to be interviewed.
It prompted Mr Crisafulli to launch his landmark commission of inquiry to further investigate the systemic violence, intimidation, misogyny and bullying outlined in the Watson Report.
“We owe it to Queenslanders to get the full picture with a commission of inquiry,” the Premier said.
“This is the most powerful inquiry in the state to give a voice to those made powerless by the CFMEU.
“This is the spotlight needed to bring the CFMEU out of the shadows, the violence, bullying and intimidation will have no place to hide.
“The violence, misogyny and standover tactics from the CFMEU have no place in Queensland, and this is the first step in delivering the change that’s needed.”
The commission of inquiry into the CFMEU will have the power to compel witnesses to produce documents and testify under oath.
The commission could also call former industrial relations minister Grace Grace and other Labor ministers to give evidence.
Opposition industrial relations spokeswoman Grace Grace on Sunday said she has “nothing to hide”.
She revealed she was the minister in the report who had increased her security, but claimed it was a recommendation from police at the time the former Labor Government put the Queensland branch into administration.
“It was myself, I’m happy to say that, it was when we were putting the CFMEU into administration, I have never contemplated it in the past,” Ms Grace said.
“There were no threats to me, it was just a precautionary step that I should consider, I did and I implemented the recommendation of the police.”
She said she was not personally threatened by the union and did not feel frightened.
Ms Grace said any complaint or concern that was raised with her regarding the CFMEU were referred to the appropriate authorities.
“(The government) are now doing their job, and we’re happy to cooperate with whatever investigations are happening. I’ve got nothing to hide,” she said.
The commission of inquiry is not expected to affect the day-to-day operation of the CFMEU under administrator Mark Irving KC.
Industrial Relations Minister Jarrod Bleijie, who has repeatedly attacked the former government for “enabling” the CFMEU over a decade in power.
“Under the inquiry, witnesses will be afforded protections and documents will be compelled to get to the bottom of this insidious militant behaviour that has terrorised Queensland for a decade,” he said.
“The 55 brave men and women helped scratch the surface, the inquiry will now get to the bottom of the CFMEU’s standover tactics so we can protect Queenslanders from this violence, bullying and intimidation.
“This will help restore safety and the rule of law on Queensland construction sites.”
Mr Miles has argued the Crime and Corruption Commission – which has similar powers to a commission of inquiry – should investigate the allegations. He wrote to Mr Crisafulli pledging bipartisan support to “clean up the state’s construction industry”.
“The construction industry in Queensland has never been more important as we navigate the most critical pipeline of infrastructure delivery in our state’s history,” he said.
Originally published as CFMEU thugs, Labor pollies in firing line as state pulls trigger on inquiry
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