LABOR UNIONS – AUSTRALIA – REGULATION

Fair work launches 42 probes into CFMEU coercion, corruption

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Original article by Olivia Ireland, David Crowe
The Age – Page: Online : 16-Oct-24

The CFMEU’s construction division is under further scrutiny following the federal government’s recent move to place it in administration. The Fair Work Ombudsman has advised that it has commenced another 42 investigations into alleged illegal conduct within the construction division. The FWO has acted in response to a referral from the government after media reports exposed corruption within the CFMEU and its links to outlaw motorcycle gangs. Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt says the FWO’s investigations demonstrate that there has been progress in "cleaning up" the construction industry.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Watt seeks CFMEU Please explain

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 4 : 11-Oct-24

Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt will ask CFMEU administrator Mark Irving why he has given Joel Shackleton a job in the union’s Victorian branch. A CFMEU organiser, Shackleton has been charged with threats to kill a labour hire company owner, and is due to face court over the charges on 22 November. Employers and the Opposition contend that Shackleton should be stood down, claiming that Irvine’s decision to let him keep working with the CFMEU does not send a good message at a time when the federal government is seeking to clean up the construction sector.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

CFMEU scandal once in a generation chance

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 1 & 4 : 18-Sep-24

The federal government will reconvene its National Construction Industry Forum in October. Amongst other things, members of the forum will be asked to consider measures aimed at addressing corruption and misconduct in the building and construction industry. Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt says a "major reset" is needed in the nation’s construction industry, and the scandal that has embroiled the CFMEU is a "once-in-a-generation" opportunity to do so. Meanwhile, the CFMEU’s administrator Mark Irving will use his coercive powers to direct Geoffrey Watson SC to continue with his investigation into corruption within the union’s Victorian branch.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, NATIONAL CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY FORUM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Whistleblower’s fresh claims on CFMEU’s missing $30m

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Original article by Simon Benson
The Australian – Page: 5 : 17-Sep-24

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese is continuing to attract scrutiny over revelations that a CFMEU whistleblower had warned him in 2014 that the union had links to organised crime. Shadow employment minister Michaelia Cash has urged Albanese to disclose what action he had taken in response to the claims made by former CFMEU official Andrew Quirk a decade ago. Cash adds that Albanese should explain why Labor continued to accept donations from the CFMEU despite being aware of its criminal connections. It has also emerged that Quirk and a fellow whistleblower had raised concerns about the whereabouts of $30m from the sale of the CFMEU’s headquarters in NSW.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

CFMEU $3m transfer stinks to high heaven

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 13-Sep-24

The CFMEU is under renewed scrutiny following revelations that its NSW branch transferred $3.15m of members’ funds to a Sydney law firm that was representing former state secretary Darren Greenfield and his son. Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt has credited the federal government’s "strong action" in appointing an administrator to the CFMEU for exposing the funds transfer, which occured just two days after Labor revealed plans to force the union’s construction divisions into administration. He says it shows that many of the CFMEU’s former leaders had acted in their own interests, rather than the interests of the union’s members.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS

Sacked CFMEU leaders remain in ranks of Victorian ALP

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Original article by Damon Johnston, Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 4-Sep-24

The militant CFMEU is under renewed scrutiny following revelations that about 300 of its members are also ‘grassroots’ members of the Labor Party in Victoria. They include four CFMEU officials who were sacked after the federal government recently legislated to appoint an administrator to its construction division. One of the sacked officials, Joe Myles, is also a member of Victorian Labor’s public office selection committee, which plays a key role in selecting state and federal candidates at elections.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY

Labor stares down furious CFMEU’s court challenge

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 4-Sep-24

The CFMEU’s former national president Jade Ingham says legislation to appoint an administrator to its construction division is "unconstitutional and undemocratic". He has launched a legal challenge to the legislation in the High Court, contending that the laws could potentially be used to target any organisation that "gets off-side" of the federal government. Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt and Prime Minister Anthony Albanese have stated that the federal government had expected a legal challenge and has prepared for it.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET

Bosses exploiting CFMEU vacuum

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian – Page: 5 : 3-Sep-24

The Maritime Union of Australia’s national secretary Paddy Crumlin has warned that CFMEU members, employees and officials will be hard hit by the federal government’s move to appoint an administrator to its construction division. He says many full-time officials were sacked when the administrator took control, despite not being accused of any wrongdoing. He adds that these officials are subject to special provisions that prohibit them from taking jobs at any other union. Credlin, who is also the national president of the CFMEU, also says that some employers in the construction industry have refused to sign off on new workplace agreements that were about to be finalised when the administrator was appointed.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA

CFMEU vows to destroy the ALP

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Mohammad Alfares
The Australian – Page: 1 & 5 : 28-Aug-24

More than 60,000 construction workers downed tools on Tuesday to join capital city protests against the federal government’s move to appoint administrators to the CFMEU’s construction divisions. Sacked CFMEU state leaders said they will campaign for the "absolute destruction" of Labor, urging union members to vote against the party at the next federal election and the state polls in Queensland and NSW. Former Queensland state secretary Michael Ravbar intends to pursue a High Court challenge against the administration, while former national secretary Christy Cain has urged Maritime Union of Australia members to join the next rally in solidarity with the CFMEU.

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA

Labor denies Setka’s claim of secret deal

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Original article by Paul Karp
The Guardian Australia – Page: 6 : 27-Aug-24

Former Construction, Forestry & Maritime Employees Union official John Setka told Seven’s Spotlighht program on Sunday that he had been given the impression that the CFMEU would be "left alone" if he quit. However, the suggestion that the federal government had agreed to let Setka stand down in return for not placing the CFMEU into administration has been rejected by the federal government, with workplace relations minister Murray Watt saying that claims by Setka that Labor double-crossed him over the issue were "absolutely fanciful".

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CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY AND MARITIME EMPLOYEES UNION, SEVEN WEST MEDIA LIMITED – ASX SWM, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT AND WORKPLACE RELATIONS