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The Queensland government has announced a commission of inquiry into the state’s CFMEU branch after the numerous allegations covered in the Violence in the Queensland CFMEU report.
The Violence in the Queensland CFMEU report conducted by Geoffrey Watson SC investigated allegations of violence against the Queensland branch of the now notorious trade union, which was forced into administration back in 2024.
Tasked with cleaning the union up out of its reputation peddled by allegations of corruption, violence, thuggery, misogyny, and bullying, Mark Irving KC directed Watson into investigating the branch where he discovered a ruthless pursuit of “political, industrial, and financial power” carried out by branch leadership and members.
“The CFMEU in Queensland actually intended to inflict physical, sexual, emotional, and economic abuse on others. The CFMEU used threats and coercion deliberately to cause fear. As will be seen, the CFMEU directed threats and intimidation at women and children,” said Watson.
“The purpose of the violence is plain – the violence is used by the CFMEU to support a pursuit of political, industrial, and financial power. This included, if necessary, destroying individuals and businesses. The CFMEU is ruthless – it will crush anyone offering any resistance to it.
“The campaign of violence was very likely planned and directed by the CFMEU leadership – principally by the secretary, Michael Ravbar, and an assistant secretary, Jade Ingham.”
The detailed report offered countless instances of violence against employers, employees, government officials, work health and safety staff – with most harrowing of targets being women.
“Although the CFMEU boasts of its promotion of equal treatment of women, its actions show otherwise: the material shows the CFMEU had a focus on attacking women, and using tactics which were abusive and degrading,” said Watson.
Due to the nature of the allegations, Queensland Premier David Crisafulli referred the report to the Queensland Police Service and has launched a commission of inquiry to “lift the lid on the culture of violence, intimidation and potential criminality in the CFMEU”.
“If this report only scratched the surface, we owe it to Queenslanders to get the full picture with a commission of inquiry,” said Crisafulli.
“This is the most powerful inquiry in the state to give a voice to those made powerless by the CFMEU and [its] Labor protection racket.
“This is the spotlight needed to bring the CFMEU out of the shadows, the violence, bullying and intimidation will have no place to hide.
“We are drawing a line in the sand to make sure workers are safe on worksites and productivity can return to construction.
“The violence, misogyny and standover tactics from the CFMEU have no place in Queensland, and this is the first step in delivering the change that’s needed.”
Watson noted in his report that although brave victims were willing to come forward, alleged perpetrators suffered from collective symptoms of “memory loss”, unwilling to recount incidents that occurred within the CFMEU ranks.
Deputy Premier and Minister for Industrial Relations Jarrod Bleijie believes that the commission of inquiry will produce better recaps of these incidents.
“Under the inquiry, witnesses will be afforded protections and documents will be compelled to get to the bottom of this insidious militant behaviour that has terrorised Queensland for a decade,” Bleijie said.
“This is Labor’s Fitzgerald moment and will be the end to the protection racket for these CFMEU thugs.
“The 55 brave men and women helped scratch the surface, the inquiry will now get to the bottom of the CFMEU’s standover tactics so we can protect Queenslanders from this violence, bullying and intimidation.
“This will help restore safety and the rule of law on Queensland construction sites.”
Kace O'Neill
Kace O'Neill is a Graduate Journalist for HR Leader. Kace studied Media Communications and Maori studies at the University of Otago, he has a passion for sports and storytelling.
