New Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt has called on the CFMEU's construction division to cooperate with the imposition of a government-nominated administrator, arguing that despite its appointment yesterday of an independent investigator the union cannot undertake its own "clean-out".
The FWC will apply greater scrutiny to agreements made with the CFMEU's construction and general division, in the wake of allegations about the union's conduct.
The CFMEU construction and general division's national office has appointed high-profile silk Geoffrey Watson to investigate allegations of criminal wrongdoing in some branches.
New Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt has confirmed that he will introduce legislation if needed to ensure the FWC can take over the administration of CFMEU construction division branches accused of corruption, while dampening any expectation of further IR reform before the next election.
CFMEU construction and general division national secretary Zach Smith has told members today he expects the FWC to seek to begin the process of appointing an administrator to "a number of branches" within days, but has not indicated whether the union will formally resist the move.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has appointed former Justice Department secretary Greg Wilson to examine the State's construction sector and help eradicate its "rotten culture", including by boosting its ability to weed out criminal activity and protect whistleblowers.
The Labor Party's national executive has this afternoon resolved to indefinitely suspend the CFMEU construction and general division's affiliations with the NSW, Victorian, South Australian and Tasmanian branches of the party and to refuse political donations from them.
The FWO will investigate whether the CFMEU's construction and general division's making of agreements has been infected by adverse action, coercion, misrepresentation or other unlawful conduct, after a request from Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke.
The ROC has begun civil penalty proceedings against CFMMEU mining and energy division Queensland district president Stephen Smyth over alleged union credit card misuse, including expenses incurred on family trips.
The Federal Police today arrested former Federal Labor MP and ex-HSU national secretary Craig Thomson for his alleged role as the "primary facilitator" of a $2 million migration fraud.
