Federal Court to probe TWU branch election

A Transport Workers Union member has accused rival officers of breaching election regulations.

A Federal Court inquiry will probe the 2018 election of officials to the Queensland branch of the Transport Workers Union after a union member accused rival officers of breaching election regulations.

The election, conducted by the Australian Electoral Commission, was allegedly subject to improper conduct by members of the Your Transport Workers Team, according to a claim filed by union delegate Darren White.

Mr White ran for the role of state branch secretary as part of the rival Team Driven.

At the election on December 10, Mr White received 660 votes but was beaten by incumbent Peter Biagini with 1983 votes.

He sought the inquiry to establish the legality of all positions declared following the election.

“I believe there is sufficient evidence to establish irregular­ities have occurred in the election, and that the court should conduct an election inquiry,” he said in his claim file in Brisbane’s Federal Court.

At a hearing this week, judge Berna Collier agreed there were sufficient grounds to warrant an inquiry by the court.

Mr White alleged that on at least 18 occasions, representatives of the Your Transport Workers Team, including Mr ­Biagini and branch president Brad Wyatt, attended formal work events throughout Queensland where they met with TWU members to improperly campaign for re-election. Sites visited by the branch offices included Brisbane Airport, StarTrack Gold Coast, SkyBus Gold Coast and Ipswich Waste Services.

On each occasion, Mr White alleged, committee members wore branded team clothing, distributed campaign material and took photographs with members holding campaign material.

The photographs were later uploaded to the Your Transport Workers Team Facebook page.

Mr White said the branch employees would also have required “right of entry” permission under the Fair Work Act before entering the worksites.

At Surfside Buslines, a ballot box was installed without the knowledge or consent of the electoral commission, he said.

The inquiry will be heard on June 11.