The Fin ‘Law of the jungle’: the struggle to clean up the CFMEU
Jul 9, 2025
In this insightful discussion, David Marin-Guzman, workplace correspondent for the Australian Financial Review, dives into the murky waters of the CFMEU's corruption crisis. He reveals shocking details from a year-long inquiry, exposing entrenched criminal ties and the fallout from leadership resignations. Marin-Guzman explores the dangerous instability in the building industry, including violent turf wars and the impact of a recent High Court ruling. The conversation underscores the challenges of reforming a powerful union amidst a culture of fear and intimidation.
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Underworld Infiltration Exposed
- The CFMEU was deeply infiltrated by underworld figures controlling lucrative construction projects.
- Corruption involved handing enterprise agreements to companies linked to organized crime for big government projects.
Partial Purge under Administration
- The CFMEU construction division was put into administration within a month, forcing out hundreds of officials.
- However, critics say only the leaders were removed, leaving corrupt influences intact.
Worker Protests Against Administration
- After administration laws, thousands of construction workers protested, wearing CFMEU gear and joining rallies.
- The protests were strongest in Victoria initially and continued for months in New South Wales.