‘Time for tough decisions’: CFMEU boss Zach Smith steps down from national leadership

CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith will step down as head of the troubled union’s construction arm to focus on the Victorian branch, saying he can no longer answer for decisions taken by others.

Since the scandal-plagued construction workers’ union was placed in administration nine months ago, Smith has served dual roles as national secretary and secretary of the union’s Victorian and Tasmanian branch.

CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith.Credit: Justin McManus

In a statement posted to social media on Thursday, Smith noted he was first appointed as head of the Victorian branch before the union entered administration, “with the support of our former leaders”.

“It’s time for tough decisions. I’ve concluded I cannot do justice to both roles,” he said.

“I have also decided that while I am willing to take responsibility for decisions I make, I cannot be asked to take responsibility for decisions that are not mine.”

He said he had advised administrator Mark Irving, KC, that we would step back from his national secretary duties on the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union.

“My full commitment now lies with the members in Victoria and Tasmania, where I believe I can have the greatest impact for the future of the union,” he said.

“Let me be clear. I believe the union will get through this not because it’s easy but because we must, we’ve survived two deregistrations, we will survive this.

“I expect every person who takes a wage from our union to do their best to continue to deliver for their members.”

Smith said he stood by a plan he proposed as national secretary for additional resources for the union’s national office.

The news comes as Irving struggles to clean up the organisation in the wake of the Building Bad investigation by this masthead and 60 Minutes.

Irving, working with Smith, has attempted to weed out violent and corrupt industry and union players.

This masthead reported last week that Smith was considering removing union organisers in Victoria, NSW and Queensland linked to violence or the underworld but was stymied by an unresolved High Court challenge lodged by union bosses hostile to the clean-up.

It was also revealed this week that a campaign of firebombings and intimidation had erupted in Victoria’s construction sector as underworld players seek to control pockets of an industry supposedly being cleaned up by Labor state and federal government reforms.

Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said Smith had made a “significant contribution” in his role in recent months.

“With the federal government, there has been that huge amount of work to stamp out the [criminal] behaviour,” she said. “We have zero tolerance for the allegations that have been made, and we thank Zach for his work.”

A comment has been sought from Irving.

More to come.

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