<?xml version="1.0" encoding="ISO-8859-1"?> <docID>340509</docID> <postdate>2025-03-17 12:04:27</postdate> <headline>‘Horrifying’: police asked to probe fresh CFMEU claims</headline> <body><p><img class="size-full wp-image-340510" src="https://citynews.com.au/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/20240902174949240774-original-resized.jpg" alt="" width="900" height="601" /></p> <caption>More allegations of corruption in the CFMEU have been referred to police. (Lukas Coch/AAP PHOTOS)</caption> <p><span class="kicker-line">By <strong>Callum Godde</strong> and <strong>Tess Ikonomou</strong></span></p> <p><strong>Australia's scandal-riddled construction union is in fresh hot water over more allegations of criminal behaviour by officials.</strong></p> <p>Employment and Workplace Relations Minister Murray Watt has confirmed he will refer CFMEU-linked allegations of corruption and violence towards women, aired by 60 Minutes on Sunday, to police for investigation.</p> <p>The CFMEU's construction division was forced into administration by the Albanese government last year following claims of bikie and organised crime figures infiltrating the union and other serious criminal activity.</p> <p>Elected leaders of the union's construction division branches in Queensland, NSW, Victoria, Tasmania, SA and the NT were sacked and replaced by administrator Mark Irving KC.</p> <p>Mr Watt credited Mr Irving and his team for uncovering the "unacceptable conduct".</p> <p>"I have spoken with the administrator tonight and he intends to investigate and take action against any serving CFMEU organisers or delegates implicated in these reports," the senator wrote on social media.</p> <p>"He will also consider further action to stamp out gender violence in the industry."</p> <p>The issues go well beyond the union and involve criminal gangs, labour hire firms and construction businesses, Mr Watt said.</p> <p>"We've begun change, but we must continue tackling corruption, criminality and violence across the whole construction industry," he said.</p> <p>Vision of a woman being bashed by a bikie-linked health and safety representative on his lunch break from a government-funded project was "horrifying", federal Women's Minister Katy Gallagher said.</p> <p>"We all understand that violence against women in this country is at a crisis level," the senator told reporters in Canberra on Monday.</p> <p>"But to see it play out on prime time TV like that in footage like that is extremely distressing for everybody involved and for people who have suffered violence, either domestic, family or sexual violence."</p> <p>The allegations of violence against women were a test for Prime Minister Anthony Albanese, Deputy Liberal Leader Sussan Ley said.</p> <p>She also accused Labor of being "bankrolled by tainted CFMEU money" for years.</p> <p>"Labor MPs can't say they are for protecting women whilst taking money, volunteers and support from the CFMEU," she posted on social media.</p> <p>Mr Irving's first report revealed corruption and criminal infiltration of the construction industry remains "an area in which much work still needs to be done".</p> <p>A separate Victorian review, led by former justice department chief Greg Wilson, recommended a requirement for principal contractors on taxpayer-funded worksites to report suspected criminal behaviour.</p> <p>But it did not cite any examples of corruption or criminal infiltration or hold any official or politician accountable.</p> <p>Geoffrey Watson SC, appointed by Mr Irving to probe wrongdoing in the sector, called the Victorian review "hopeless" and accused the state Labor government of a cover-up.</p> <p>"It was, I'm afraid, a terrible disappointment. It operates as a cover-up because it didn't get to the bottom of anything," he told 60 Minutes.</p> <p>https://citynews.com.au/2025/national-emergency-urged-for-deadly-attacks-on-women/</p> <p> </p> </body>