Queensland’s Liberal National Party (LNP) government is taking a hard stance on the Construction, Forestry, and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU), announcing a “landmark inquiry” into the union’s operations in the state. Premier David Crisafulli described the move as the government’s “most powerful tool” to tackle what he terms the “stranglehold and standover tactics” of the CFMEU, accusing the union of fostering a “culture of violence, intimidation, misogyny, and bullying” as detailed in a recent report by the Center for Public Integrity.
The report, which calls the CFMEU’s behavior a “protection racket,” was only the tip of the iceberg, according to Geoffrey Watson, who conducted the investigation and suggested that the true extent of violence within the CFMEU remains uncovered. The inquiry, anticipated to start in August, will have extended powers to demand documents, protect witnesses, and compile evidence.
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie likened this inquiry to the Fitzgerald Inquiry of the late 1980s, which exposed widespread corruption and led to the political downfall of then-Premier Joh Bjelke-Petersen. The LNP, which returned to power in October after nearly a decade of Labor governance, views this as an opportunity to eliminate the corruption it claims the Labor Party enabled.
During a press conference, Bleijie focused on former Labor ministers, particularly former Industrial Relations Minister Grace Grace, labelling her the “chief enabler” of the CFMEU’s behavior. Grace, now the shadow industrial relations minister, dismissed these claims as “absolutely ridiculous” and “completely and utterly baseless accusations,” arguing that the actions of rogue union members had been addressed, including through federal government intervention and the sacking of offenders.
While Grace concedes that the union requires reform, she believes the Crime and Corruption Commission is equipped to handle these issues, which fall under federal legislation. She emphasized her willingness to cooperate with any inquiry, stating that the priority should be to “stop this behavior,” rather than playing politics.
Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jul/13/queensland-lnp-inquiry-cfmeu-union-labor-ntwnfb
