Jarrod Bleijie considers commission of inquiry into CFMEU
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie “would not rule anything out” to purge the CFMEU of intimidation and misogyny, amid a warning the militant union would “push back” following a damning report into its violent culture.
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Industrial Relations Minister Jarrod Bleijie will not rule anything out to purge the CFMEU of intimidation and misogyny, amid a warning the militant union would push back following a damning report into its violent culture.
It comes amid claims of ongoing intimidation on worksites pressuring construction workers and bosses.
He slammed the CFMEU for “holding a gun to the construction industry” which he accused of taking advantage of indifference within the former Labor government, and slammed findings of violence and misogyny documented in a commissioned report compiled by Geoffrey Watson SC released this week.
Mr Bleijie’s biggest concern in the report was intimidation being directed towards women and children.
“It really sickens me,” Mr Bleijie said.
“Do not think that this Watson review is the end of the matter, there are still people in the CFMEU that do not want to see the cultural change that both the administrator and the Queensland Government want to see in the CFMEU.
“They will push back.”
Mr Bleijie observed the report’s limitations which found several witnesses refused to provide information during the investigation.
“We don’t know who is mentioned … so we’re not ruling anything in or out,” Mr Bleijie said.
“I said yesterday we will take what action is necessary to stop this culture of the CFMEU in Queensland.”
Mr Bleijie said commissions of inquiry had “extraordinary powers, far more greater than the administrator or Watson had himself”.
Queensland Major Contractors Association chief executive Andrew Chapman said the report’s findings and violence and misogyny within the CFMEU should trigger a deeper investigation.
“We need to move forward, we need to look at having some further investigation, be it a Royal Commission or a commission of inquiry into further details that can also then support the administrator,” he said.
“This report is the seminal moment to start to change the culture.
“People don’t want to speak publicly, a lot of them have PTSD and a lot of them are scared for retribution.”
National Association of Women in the Construction Industry state president Emma McCaughey also pushed for a Royal Commission after reports aired of intimidation against women within the construction industry.
She said it would encourage more women to come forward as they would be better protected.
“We know this is just the tip of the iceberg, and there is more to come,” she said.
While Mr Watson interviewed 55 CFMEU officials and members, trade unionists, politicians, bureaucrats, building contractors and victims for his 45-page report, he feared it “only scratched the surface of the violence in the Queensland CFMEU”.
“There are many other potential witnesses and many other stories which could have been told,” he said.
Mr Watson had no power to compel witnesses to testify, nor protect victims from retribution.
He noted there was an “obstinate refusal to co-operate” from some critical witnesses.
The Courier-Mail can reveal Opposition Leader Steven Miles had written to the Crime and Corruption Commission chair Bruce Barbour calling for the watchdog to investigate allegations raised in Mr Watson’s report.
“The CCC operates as a standing commission of inquiry and I ask that you use those powers to ensure the public can have confidence in the oversight and administration of the construction sector in Queensland,” he said.
Mr Miles has also written to Premier David Crisafulli offering bipartisan support for the next steps to clean up the state’s construction industry.
“As a standing Commission of Inquiry function in our state, which was ultimately borne out of the Fitzgerald Inquiry, I believe their investigation and recommendations are crucial to driving change in the construction industry,” he said.
Queensland Council of Unions secretary Jacqueline King this week backed the findings within the Watson Review to reform the CFMEU, but said a commission of inquiry would not be needed.
She said the CFMEU administrator had the federal powers to compel union officials such as Michael Ravbar and Jade Ingham to speak.
“He chose not to, as outlined in the report, on the basis that the High Court decision was still pending while this investigation was ongoing, and obviously aware that there was a lot of emotions running quite deeply within the staff and the union itself,” she said.
Mopping up misogyny and intimidation within the CFMEU culture would also be needed to bring in the tens of thousands of additional workers needed to build major Olympic infrastructure, Ms McCaughey said.
“Queensland is on the precipice of an unprecedented pipeline in terms of project delivery, and here in Queensland, we only have 13.9 per cent representation of women in the construction sector, and only 4.8 per cent in women in trades,” she said. “Our primary focus is ensuring that we create safe workplaces for all women and for all men, so that we can deliver on the world stage an incredible construction pipeline of works.
“And to address the 55,000 resources shortfall that we’re going to have in this industry … we need to make sure that we have enough resources … to deliver on the world stage.”
Mr Bleijie said misogynistic behaviour within the CFMEU spooked the demographic essential to build Queensland’s necessary infrastructure.
“If the CFMEU continued their behaviour, then we’re missing out a whole proportion of our great population to help build the infrastructure for the future.”
Originally published as Jarrod Bleijie considers commission of inquiry into CFMEU
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