Analysis: Labor’s timidity in the face of militant union thuggery

The capitulation of Labor MPs to the rampant CFMEU has been staggering, writes state political editor Hayden Johnson.

Then Labor premier Steven Miles addresses a CFMEU protest in June 2023.

During a decade of denial weak Labor ministers put fear and self-interest above Queensland.

Thankfully, their timidity over the aggressive thuggery of the CFMEU has ended.

The capitulation of Labor members of parliament – who are protected by law from threats and intimidation – is staggering.

Over 10 years the CFMEU’s aggressive behaviour turned violent as it built an untouchable empire protected by cowering Labor ministers.

Workplace health and safety inspectors copped relentless abuse on job sites, knowing the union they were policing had a hotline into the Office of Industrial Relations.

Many members of the CFMEU – who are not accused of wrongdoing – were promoted by Labor on to government boards.

It took the national administration of the CFMEU for Queensland Labor and then premier Steven Miles to remove them – albeit at a glacial pace.

More galling is the incorrect claim – perpetuated by LNP leader David Crisafulli and others during the state election campaign – that Mr Miles and the Labor government somehow owed their existence to the CFMEU.

Wrong.

This ragtag union had drifted so far that it had no say on the survival of the government or any member of parliament.

That makes Labor’s failure to act even more shocking.

The CFMEU quit Labor’s left faction in 2020 under the guise of the government’s “failure to look after workers’ interests”.

In reality, this dummy spit was driven by the union’s inability to control powerful former Labor deputy premier Jackie Trad.

Queensland Labor never had the hide to boot the CFMEU.

On hearing the news of the union’s split with the Left faction, Mr Miles said: “They’re staying affiliated with the Labor Party, I expect they would continue to campaign with us at the election.”

Failing to legislate and end the union’s rising violence and intimidation is one thing – but for a decade timid Labor ministers wouldn’t even utter the acronym, CFMEU.

Thank goodness those days are over.

Originally published as Analysis: Labor’s timidity in the face of militant union thuggery