Ousted CFMEU boss not confident of winning High Court fight
The ousted leader fighting the forced administration of the CFMEU is not confident a High Court challenge will be successful.
Stood-down former Queensland state secretary Michael Ravbar made the comments at a rally attended by thousands in Brisbane’s CBD from 11am on Tuesday.
“We’re not planning to win … we’re hoping to win, but this campaign is a political campaign,” he told Brisbane Times at the protest.
Former state secretary of the CFMEU Michael Ravbar. Credit: William Davis
“This is a test case in regards to the public interest … Everyone in the legal fraternity and around Australia is watching this case.
“I reckon it’s about 50-50 … this is not just about the High Court, this is a campaign going after Labor.”
Speakers at the Emma Miller Place rally demanded the resignation of ACTU secretary Sally McManus and called for Labor state and federal governments to be voted out.
A speaker addresses the CFMEU rally in Brisbane’s Emma Miller Place.Credit: William Davis
It came after the CFMEU was placed into involuntary administration in Australia’s eastern states following allegations of serious corruption within the union’s leadership.
Ravbar is leading a High Court challenge of the government’s decision, which is expected to be heard over two days in late November or early December.
“Don’t expect the High Court to be a silver bullet,” he told those at the protest.
“What we’ve got to do is make sure the people who are trying to destroy the CFMEU, that we destroy them … people like Sally McManus, who has actually sold out on workers in this country.
Placards at the CFMEU rally in Brisbane criticise ACTU secretary Sally McManus.Credit: Neesha Sinnya
“If we’re ever going to make change, we have to remove the cancer that’s within the trade union movement.
“This whole thing about the CFMEU is political. We haven’t seen anyone charged with criminal corruption.”
Ravbar said if McManus remained in the top job, the Australian union movement would splinter and a new peak body for blue-collar industries would be formed.
The Electric Trades Union confirmed it had already disaffiliated from the ACTU.
About half a dozen people spoke alongside Ravbar.
“Our proud union is under the worst attack it’s ever been faced with … the worst attack on any union in this country’s history,” high-profile former Queensland CFMEU official Jade Ingham said.
“We didn’t start this fight, but by God we’re going to finish it.
“There is so much support, and it’s growing. These bastards have lit a fire and it’s turned into a f---ing bushfire.”
Placards decried “class traitors” and “fascism”, and compared Sally McManus to 1980s British prime minister Margaret Thatcher.
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