The Victorian branch of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) has been placed into administration following allegations of corruption and criminal links.
Key Takeaways
- The Victorian branch of the CFMEU has been placed into administration.
- An emergency meeting of the CFMEU’s national executive was convened on Monday in response to explosive reports from Nine newspapers, claiming underworld figures and bikie gang members had infiltrated major construction projects.
- Moments later, CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said the Victorian branch would be placed into administration.
- Prime Minister Anthony Albanese described news of the administration as a “good next step”. “I have a very clear message for the CFMEU, which is, they need to clean up their act. I have zero tolerance for it,” he said.
- Victoria’s Premier Jacinta Allan labelled the alleged behaviour as “thuggish and appalling”.
Crucial quote
“The CFMEU has zero tolerance for criminality and anyone found to have engaged in criminal conduct while representing the CFMEU will be identified and removed,” CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said.
“The CFMEU has one purpose and one purpose only and that is to defend and advance the safety and conditions of workers.
“The Victorian branch has been hugely successful in pursuing this purpose, but the national executive also recognises that a number of recent allegations are serious and demand an unprecedented response.”
What next?
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan condemned the alleged actions of the state’s construction union, calling them “thuggish and appalling” during a press conference on Monday afternoon.
Allan announced she had requested Labor’s national executive to suspend the CFMEU construction division immediately.
She stated that she has referred the serious misconduct allegations to Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.
“This is a rotten culture that must be pulled out by its roots,” Allan said.
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