CFMEU boss Michael Ravbar loses entry permit

Five CFMEU construction division state leaders have lost their right of entry permits

CFMEU Queendland secretary Michael Ravbar. Picture: Attila Csaszar

A fifth CFMEU construction division leader had lost his right of entry permit after Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar dropped a permit renewal bid following opposition from the building watchdog.

Mr Ravbar joins John Setka in Victoria, Darren Greenfield in NSW, Andrew Sutherland in South Australia and Michael Buch­an in Western Australia as CFMEU construction state secretaries on a no-permit list. ACT state secretary Jason O’Mara regained his permit last week after a three-month suspension.

After Mr Ravbar applied to the Fair Work Commission in March to renew his permit, Australian Building and Construction Commissioner Stephen McBurney intervened, arguing that Mr Ravbar was not a fit and proper person to hold a permit.

He said the union’s Queensland division and officials “under Mr Ravbar’s watch” had contravened industrial law on 175 occasions in 28 separate proceedings.

ABCC lawyers told the commission Mr Ravbar had presided “over a history of defiance of industrial laws” and this conduct should be a factor in disqualifying him from having a permit.

They said Mr Ravbar condoned and approved the payment by the CFMEU of penalties imposed against its officials who were found to have contravened the law, “demonstrating an attitude inconsistent with what is expected of a permit holder”.

The ABCC also sought to rely on a Federal Court decision in 2019 that imposed penalties of $58,500 against the union, Mr Ravbar and union official Andrew Sutherland over unlawful action on the $1.5bn Legacy Way Port Connect Project in 2012.

Mr Ravbar remains a respondent in two current ABCC matters, with the agency alleging he contravened right of entry laws in both cases. He declined to comment on Monday.