Homes of CFMEU officials raided by AFP ahead of commission

Police have raided the homes of union officials ahead of trade union royal commission hearings in Brisbane next week.

Australian Federal Police have raided the homes of Queensland construction union officials ahead of trade union royal commission hearings in Brisbane next week.

Union sources told The Weekend Australian that members of the Queensland branch of the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union’s construction division had been targeted in ­recent weeks by the AFP taskforce attached to the commission.

During its two-week sitting, it is expected the commission will hear claims that former Queensland Labor Party vice-president and national president of the CFMEU Dave Hanna ­misused funds relating to the Builders ­Labours Federation charity ­foundation.

Mr Hanna, who resigned from his CFMEU leadership post last month, faced royal commission scrutiny last year for allegedly threatening a construction firm during the building of an apartment block in Brisbane.

The one-time head of the Old Guard ALP faction, whose members include Peter Beattie and Queensland Treasurer Curtis Pitt, will again be called to give evidence before the commission next week.

Mr Hanna, 51, who previously claimed he stood down from the union due to injuries sustained in a motorcycle accid­ent, declined to comment yesterday, but said he would be “making a statement after the Queensland hearings”.