The trouble in Sydney

Decades of allegations about CFMEU misbehaviour were not confined to Setka and the union’s Victorian operations.

Over the years,McKenzie and investigative reporter Kate McClymont had also detailed serious allegations related to the NSW branch of the union,and its dealings with developers,including the disgraced developer George Alex.

Alex,who with four others was recently found guilty of conspiracy to defraud the Tax Office of more than $10 million over two years,had also boasted to co-conspirators about how the union would not touch his firm because of the “kickers” – corrupt payments – he made to the union.

Meanwhile,the Building Bad series had revealed video evidence played in court of CFMEU NSW boss Darren Greenfield appearing to accept a $5000 wad of cash in his office.

The vision was filmed on June 19,2020,and appears to show what police allege is a building company owner seeking union support reach into his pocket and remove a wad of cash he then passes under a table to Greenfield.

About 10 minutes later,the camera captured images of Greenfield placing the wad in his office desk drawer.

Greenfield and his son,Michael,the branch’s assistant secretary,both face corruption charges that have not been tested in court and which they both deny.

Neither man immediately resigned from the union,though Michael did so a month after the story was published,and Darren lost his job when the union was eventually put into administration (see below).

NSW Premier Chris Minns,however,responded to the reporting by removing the CFMEU from its Labor Party affiliation,and stopping all donations.

The battle intensifies

As revelations mounted about the union’s conduct,the federal government gazumped a court challenge from the union and secured legislation that would put it into administration.

It appointed Mark Irving to the job.

The now former leaders from the Victorian and NSW CFMEU branchesbecame features at large public rallies.

The union movement splintered,with some unions,notably the Electrical Trades Union,siding with the CFMEU,arguing that governments should have no role in picking who runs unions.

The Greens have sided with those unions putting a new political element into the debate.

The ACTU stood fast,arguing the CFMEU’s conduct was beyond the pale.

Setka launched a foul-mouthed tirade on a Victorian building site andgave an exclusive interview to Channel Seven,insisting he had not done the wrong thing.

Irving told this masthead and60 Minutes in an exclusive interview,after a fortnight in the job,that the corruption and coercion infecting the CFMEU was even worse than publicly reported.

He vowed to pursue dishonest unionists and employers who had contributed to a culture of fear and intimidation in the industry.

“People should not have to turn up to work with menacing conduct as part of a business model of an employer or of a union. That sort of menacing conduct has no role in industrial relations in the construction industry or anywhere in Australian society,” he said,adding it would take time to set the union straight.

Shortly after that,the Victorian governmentintroduced its long-awaited anti-consorting laws that would allow police to prevent bikies from entering government worksites.

By mid-October death threats were reported against both Irving and McManus. On Tuesday McKenzie reported that security was being beefed up at CFMEU offices amid fears of retaliation from bikies.

And the story is not done.

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