Head of CFMEU resumes position after facing royal commission

The head of a militant union has resumed his position after briefly stepping aside to face corruption allegations.

The head of the militant construction union in NSW Brian ‘Sparkles’ Parker has resumed his position after briefly stepping aside to face corruption allegations at the trade unions royal commission.

The surprise move came despite serious allegations against the head of the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union’s NSW secretary aired before the royal commission in recent weeks.

Last month, the CFMEU announced Mr Parker was stepping aside from his role to “focus” on the royal commission. It emphasised that “Mr Parker maintains that there has been no wrongdoing on his behalf.”

An interim report by counsel assisting the royal commission last year accused Mr Parker of “gross misconduct”, saying he was “not a fit and proper person to hold office as the secretary of the NSW branch”.

The commission subsequently heard more evidence against Mr Parker, including his close relationship to bankrupt businessman George Alex who has been accused of making death threats and paying bribes, including mobile phone intercepts.

Mr Parker was also accused of devising a plan to obtain confidential details of the members of industry superannuation fund Cbus for the purposes of launching industrial action. Mr Parker has denied corruption allegations, and of lying in his evidence.

In a one-line statement issued today, the CFMEU said: “Brian Parker has resumed his duties as Secretary of the New South Wales branch of the CFMEU”.

Mr Parker has been represented by different counsel to the CFMEU this year on the basis of an undisclosed conflict of interest.