CFMEU’s Qld branch placed into administration, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirms

Labor has come under attack after Anthony Albanese placed the CFMEU into administration, while an insider reveals the war for control raging on a major Brisbane construction site.

• Explained: What this means for CFMEU

Queensland’s CFMEU will be put under the control of an independent administrator as new detail emerges about the militant group’s intimidation of workers at its rival union.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, visiting Brisbane on Wednesday, confirmed the Queensland CFMEU would be caught in the decision to appoint Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong as the administrator of the national CFMEU.

A Fair Work Commission inquiry is also expected to allow long-suffering businesses to voice concerns about the actions of the militant union.

Mr Albanese’s move follows the reluctance of Premier Steven Miles to issue significant action against the Queensland branch of the CFMEU.

CFMEU strike at Cross River Rail construction site in Woolloongabba. Picture: Liam Kidston

“We’ve acted swiftly to ensure that administrators are put in, if there’s any challenge to that we’re certainly prepared to legislate to ensure that occurs,” the Prime Minister said.

Work on active job sites in Queensland is not expected to be affected by the administration, Mr Albanese said.

Mr Miles encouraged the Queensland branch of the CFMEU to consent to the administration.

“That is the easiest and quickest path and I would encourage their state leadership to also consent to that,” he said.

“If they choose though to fight it through the process then the Australian Government have indicated they are willing to legislate to ensure this administration can be appointed … we would also be willing to legislate to ensure that this process can be successful.

“We are proud supporters of trade unions but there is no place in those unions for illegal activity, for underworld links, for thuggery and that’s what we want to see stamped out.

The premier said the process would allow fearful subcontractors, business owners and workers to speak out about the CFMEU amid fear of retribution.

“I understand those concerns, I do hope that this provides them with an alternative way to raise those concerns and for the administrator to then be able to address not just specific allegations, but cultural matters too,” he said.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese in Brisbane today. Picture: Dan Peled

Mr Miles has put a temporary ban on meeting and taking donations from the CFMEU until investigations and the administration has concluded.

Master Builders Queensland has declared its support for the CFMEU administration, with chief executive Paul Bidwell also welcoming the Premier’s directive to police to investigate any alleged criminal activity within the union.

“This needs to go a step further with the establishment of a cross-jurisdictional police strike force to investigate the allegations which is sufficiently resourced,” he said.

“We would expect the Queensland Government to take immediate action on any evidence that comes to light.”

CFMEU Queensland state secretary Michael Ravbar, who isn’t personally accused of any wrongdoing, defended the integrity of the union.

“The CFMEU has repeatedly stated it will co-operate with any criminal investigation, as we know the real crooks in this industry are the civil contractors and their cronies,” he said.

“It’s the major civil companies that have brought the unsavoury elements on government-funded projects and yet Albanese knows that a thorough investigation will put Labor governments in a world of pain.

“Albanese is selective about his interest in criminal associations and willingly ignorant about our industry.

“Albanese has panicked and soiled himself over some unproven allegations in the media.

“These gutless Labor politicians talk tough about affiliation fees and donations because that’s the only language they understand – money.”

The administration follows new details about the mounting war for control between the CFMEU and AWU for control of Queensland’s major construction sites.

The duplication of the Centenary Bridge remains ground zero of the tension between the rival unions – with members of both working on the $300m project.

In February CFMEU members were laying in wait for AWU officials to arrive on site for a routine visit.

The AWU’s two Toyota RAV4 vehicles were quickly surrounded by at least eight CFMEU men banging on the windows and shouting while branding “Australia’s Worst Union” signs.

One on-site worker said this was one of the tamer incidents on the Centenary Bridge site in the CFMEU’s war to stamp out the AWU.

The militant union has been attempting to lure members from the right-leaning AWU and further diminish its power.

It would leave the unaligned CFMEU the dominant, untouchable force on major civil construction projects.

Stop work action continued at Cross River Rail sites on Tuesday, however, access was not restricted.

The state government allocated $455m to the Cross River Rail Delivery Authority in the 2024-25 budget – the equivalent of$8.7m per week.

Subcontractors were not blocked from attending Cross River Rail sites, but sources said the intimidation remained.

One person familiar with the picket line said some people working on the site were called “scabs” and warned they wouldn’t work on a major government project again.

Deputy Opposition Leader Jarrod Bleijie argued the state government had repeatedly “batted away” concerns about the CFMEU for a decade.

“Too little too late from all these Labor leaders across the country that all of a sudden think there’s an issue with the CFMEU,” he said.

“They have turned a blind eye to the union fear and intimidation and bullying on construction sites in Queensland.

Originally published as CFMEU’s Qld branch placed into administration, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese confirms