As it happened: CFMEU protests across the country after union plunged into administration

Good afternoon, and thanks for following our live coverage of the CFMEU rallies across the country today.

It has been a busy one, with tens of thousands of workers walking off the job to protest against the government’s forced takeover of the union. Here are some of the highlights:

• Melbourne hosted the country’s largest rally, with up to 50,000 people attending. NSW had the second-largest rally with about 8000 workers showing up, and up to 4000 people turned up in Brisbane.

• Police did not report any major incidents or arrests, and the protests were peaceful.
• Several significant figures showed up to the rallies including national CFMEU secretary Zach Smith, who told a Canberra crowd the union is here to stay.
• Ousted NSW branch secretary Darren Greenfield told a passionate Sydney crowd, “I’m not going anywhere”, while a series of allegations hangs over his leadership.
• Former Queensland CFMEU secretary Michael Ravbar told the Brisbane rally he would launch a High Court challenge to federal Labor’s legislation forcing the embattled union into administration.
• Greens MP Max Chandler-Mather also told thousands of union supporters in Brisbane they’re being attacked with the “most draconian anti-worker” laws in Australian history.
• WA Premier Roger Cook warned “there may be consequences” for workers who walked off the job, and Victorian Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas said today’s action was “unjustified and unlawful”.

A reminder: the crisis surrounding the CFMEU was sparked by an investigation by this masthead, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes which revealed, among other things, standover tactics and links to organised crime within the union.

You can have a look through some of the months-long investigation in our collection here.

Thanks again for following our live coverage today. This is Cassandra Morgan signing off.

Bosses are being urged by the nation’s workplace umpire to dob in any employees who walked off the job in support of the CFMEU.

Thousands of workers marched in capital cities across the country today after hundreds of CFMEU officials were sacked last week when Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus placed its construction and general divisions into administration.

An aerial image of workers rallying in Melbourne’s CBD.Credit: Nine News

Eureka flags, known as a symbol of defiance and collective action, were waved by angry protesters who wore high-vis gear to the rallies.

Workers face tough penalties due to the unprotected action, with the Fair Work Ombudsman warning that those who failed to turn up or walked off the job without permission could be in breach of workplace laws.

Employers are legally required to deduct four hours pay for people who show up to unprotected action, even if they were gone for less than that time.

“After national rallies today, employers are encouraged to notify the Fair Work Ombudsman of any potential unlawful industrial action at their workplace,” the ombudsman said.

A spokesperson for the CFMEU administrator said the union was no longer involved in the planning of the protest and reiterated “the taking of unprotected industrial action is not lawful”.

AAP

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek has been questioned about the CFMEU rallies across the country.

Plibersek said unions are critical to democracy and industrial rights in Australia.

“I’m a big supporter of unions, I’m not a big supporter of criminals,” she told 774 ABC Radio Melbourne Drive this afternoon.

“This union has unfortunately been penetrated by some criminal elements, and we need to deal with that.”

Host Ali Moore asked whether the people who were out on the streets to protest against the Albanese government’s decision to put the CFMEU into administration were “misguided”.

“It’s a question for them, I can’t tell you why other people are making the choice they are,” Plibersek said.

But Plibersek said it was a good thing for Australians to recognise the value unions brought to Australia, including the eight-hour day and protections from industrial manslaughter and sick leave.

“I am the first to say that they play a critical role in our democracy and in our community. What we can’t allow criminals to penetrate unions through their own ends,” she said.

Melbourne had the country’s largest CFMEU rally today, with up to 50,000 people taking over the city’s streets to protest the union’s forced administration.

Our reporters on the ground spoke to people who joined the demonstration.

Check out what some had to say in the Instagram post below:

CFMEU protests across the country have wrapped up for the day and police suggest they were peaceful.

Melbourne had the country’s biggest protest, with Victoria Police estimating up to 50,000 people attended. Officers made no arrests.

The CFMEU rally in Melbourne.Credit: Jason South

NSW Police estimated there were 8000 people at Sydney’s rally at the peak of the protest. They confirmed officers did not arrest anybody at the event.

In Queensland, up to 4000 people attended a peaceful protest in Brisbane and no issues arose.

The CFMEU rally outside NSW Parliament.Credit: James Brickwood

Canberra’s protest was also without incident, with up to 400 demonstrators attending.

South Australia Police do not provide crowd estimates but said there were no incidents at today’s CFMEU rally.

The CFMEU rally in Canberra.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen

West Australian police also do not estimate crowd numbers, but up to 1000 workers attended that state’s rally. Officers did not make any arrests.

Former Queensland CFMEU secretary Michael Ravbar told the Brisbane rally he would be launching a High Court challenge to federal Labor’s legislation forcing the embattled union into administration.

Speaking at the rally earlier today, Ravbar said he would be the applicant for the High Court challenge.

Protesters at Brisbane’s CFMEU rally.Credit: AAP

“We will be doing a High Court challenge as a matter of urgency, and I’ll be the applicant,” he said.

“This is going to be the biggest challenge and the biggest fight that we’ve ever had, but we’re all up for it, you’ve got to get control of your union back, you will never allow a government takeover again.”

Up to 1000 construction workers have returned to the job after a one-hour walkout in Perth.

They gathered at Forrest Chase at 11am Perth time and marched together to Elizabeth Quay, stopping traffic and grabbing the attention of curious office workers who came out to the streets to cries of, “Stand up – fight back”, and, “We built this city”.

The CFMEU rally in Perth.Credit: Claire Ottaviano

They waved banners at the intersections of William and Hay streets, and William Street and St Georges Terrace.

By midday, it was all over. The streets are now back to normal.

As the crowd dispersed in an orderly fashion, CFMEU state secretary Mick Buchan told media it was back to business.

“I don’t know what tomorrow is going to bring, but my direction for my organisations and my team is to go out there and do your job – and that is to protect workers, protect the industry,” he said.

He said it was too early to elaborate on the discussions happening with administrators, but the rally sent a clear message to the public about what the union means to WA’s blue-collar workers.

“It’s sent a clear message: ‘Hey, Mick Buchan isn’t the union, we are the union’,” he said, gesturing to the crowd.

“I’m overwhelmed with the turnout that we’ve had here today.

“Our members have been saying, we’ve got to rally, we’ve got to let the government know, we’ve got to let the community know, and the public know that we’re the CFMEU … and the construction industry, without the CFMEU, is going to be a dangerous, dangerous place.”

Canberra’s rally at Woden wrapped up about midday. About 200 people took part.

West Australian Premier Roger Cook has warned the embattled CFMEU’s WA branch there may be consequences for the hundreds of workers downing their tools today over the federal government’s forced administration.

As workers were preparing to descend on Forrest Chase in Perth’s CBD, Cook told a press conference in Albany he understood their desire to have their voices heard but insisted the march could have repercussions.

WA Premier Roger Cook last week.Credit: Ross Swanborough

“I respect their right to take industrial action and to protest, but understand that today’s action is not authorised industrial action under the act and there may be consequences,” he said.

Cook told the media he was still pushing for a meeting with the administrator to understand what the arrangement would mean for the WA branch, insisting the troubles plaguing union branches on the east coast were not replicated in his state.

He declined to be drawn on whether he intended to heed calls from industry lobby group Master Builders and follow other states in placing the CFMEU state registered entity into administration, or whether the process could conclude sooner for WA than other states.

The WA branch is one of just two nationally to be spared the brunt of the federal government’s administration process after it was found not to have been impacted by the same allegations of criminal behaviour as those on the eastern seaboard.

Unlike other arms of the union around the country, WA boss Mick Buchan and his senior officials will retain their roles during the administration process.

A rally placard depicting Prime Minister Anthony Albanese as Hitler has drawn the ire of a Melbourne MP, who described the images as “appalling”.

MP for Caulfield David Southwick was asked about the images this morning, and said there was no place for them anywhere.

An “Albanazi” placard at Brisbane’s CFMEU protest.Credit: Neesha Sinnya

A placard at this morning’s CFMEU rally in Brisbane featured a cartoon drawing of Albanese with a Hitler moustache and the word “Albanazi” beneath it.

“These images are appalling,” Southwick said. “I would hope that we have police move swiftly on those.

“Let’s get tough and ensure that those kinds of people that want to use imagery that quite frankly, disgusts people, there needs [to be] consequences and action.”

More placards at the Brisbane protest.Credit: Neesha Sinnya

Another placard in Brisbane read: “Thatcher would be proud”.

Brisbane’s rally wrapped up about 12.45pm, with thousands of union members and supporters walking out along George Street.

CBD pubs remain awash with high-vis shirts.

About 1000 construction workers are now marching through Perth’s CBD, forcing traffic to a standstill.

Protesters gather in Perth.Credit: Claire Ottaviano

“Let me make it clear that there’s not one union here who condones criminality in the union movement,” Electrical Trades Union WA secretary Peter Carter said at a speech in Forrest Chase before the march.

“This has been nothing but trial by media.

“[The government has taken over the union] to send a message to the business community on the eve of next year’s election that they control any supposedly errant trade unions.”

The group marched down to Elizabeth Quay, stopping at the intersection of William Street and Street Georges Terrace and halting traffic there for several minutes.