Fair Work Commission Seeks CFMEU Administration

The Fair Work Commission has filed a court application to appoint barrister Mark Irving as an independent administrator to oversee the troubled Construction, Forestry, Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) amid allegations of corruption and links to organized crime. If approved, the administrator could remove up to 270 officials and manage the union’s finances for potentially two years, a move described by Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt as unprecedented. The commission aims to restore governance and compliance within the CFMEU’s general and construction divisions, particularly following damaging media reports. Additionally, Master Builders ACT has urged the commission to include the ACT branch in the investigation, citing similar issues of illegal activity and bullying reported in other states. The government is preparing legislation to further intervene should the CFMEU resist the changes. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese emphasized that there is no tolerance for violence or criminality in workplaces.