Skip to content
Industrial Relations

FWC statement on the CFMEU

Fair Work Commission 2 mins read

The General Manager of the Fair Work Commission (the Commission), Murray Furlong, is the independent statutory regulator of federally registered organisations under the Fair Work (Registered Organisations) Act 2009 (RO Act). 

It is the Commission’s role to promote the efficient management of organisations and high standards of accountability of organisations and their office holders to their members. 

The Commission is currently undertaking careful analysis of the extensive media reporting involving the Construction and General Division of the CFMEU in relation to alleged non-compliance under the RO Act.

The General Manager’s focus is on ensuring the effective functioning of branches within the CFMEU’s Construction and General Division for the benefit of their members and has been actively engaging with the CFMEU to seek clarification about what steps have been taken to put the Victoria-Tasmania Divisional Branch into administration.

Correspondence received from the CFMEU yesterday evening (16 July 2024) included that the effect of a resolution by the Construction & General Division’s Divisional Executive on 15 July 2024 is to appoint the National Secretary Zach Smith to investigate and take any action he considers necessary to resolve any matters arising out of the recent media reporting and in doing so conferred on Mr Smith all powers and functions necessary to perform this role, including the powers and functions of the Secretary of the Victoria-Tasmania Divisional Branch.

The General Manager is now carefully reviewing the information received from the CFMEU, including if there are any conflict of interest issues arising from Mr Smith assuming multiple roles at the same time.

Mr Furlong said:

  • ‘I am deeply concerned about the alleged conduct and commentary that organised crime has infiltrated several state branches of the Division, including that it appears to be embedded and ongoing.’
  • ‘I have already initiated a wide range of operational activities, including seeking advice on making an application to the Federal Court under s.323 of the RO Act. I have also commenced sharing information with other regulatory and law enforcement authorities and requesting evidence about alleged contraventions from a wide variety of participants in the building and construction industry’.
  • ‘While the alleged criminal conduct reported in the media falls outside of my jurisdiction, alleged conduct involving repeated, opportunistic or deliberate contraventions of the RO Act, including misappropriation of funds or unlawful conduct of elected officials, will be met by swift, well-resourced and significant enforcement action.’ 
  • ‘Members of registered organisations deserve for their organisations to represent their interests in a lawful manner, that is consistent with the RO Act, other laws and the expectations of our community.’

Media contact:  Kellie Fonseca (02) 9308 1882, media@fwc.gov.au

More from this category

  • Industrial Relations, Oil Mining Resources
  • 30/10/2024
  • 13:18
Mining and Energy Union

Time’s up, pay up! 500 mineworkers rally for Same Job Same Pay at BHP AGM

Almost 500 mineworkers rallied outside the BHP AGM this morning calling on the mining giant to stop fighting ‘same job same pay’ ahead of…

  • Contains:
  • Employment Relations, Industrial Relations
  • 29/10/2024
  • 12:02
Wage Inspectorate Victoria

Crown pays over $500,000 following regulator’s investigation into long service leave underpayments

Over $500,000 has been paid to Victorian workers, and Crown Melbourne and Crown Resorts (Crown) have received formal warnings after a Wage Inspectorate Victoria investigation uncovered hundreds of staff were underpaid their long service leave entitlements. The Wage Inspectorate, which enforces the state’s long service leave laws, began investigating Crown in May 2022 after identifying an underpayment to a former employee who had contacted the regulator for advice. The investigation uncovered 309 former employees had been underpaid their long service leave entitlement when their employment ended, between November 2018 and December 2022. Crown subsequently made remuneration payments totalling $469,999, plus…

  • Industrial Relations, Oil Mining Resources
  • 25/10/2024
  • 16:00
Mining and Energy Union

MEDIA ADVISORY: Hundreds of mining and energy workers meeting in Brisbane from Monday

Over 400 mining and energy workers from across Australia will gather in Brisbane for the Mining and Energy Union’s quadrennial National Convention from Monday 28 to Thursday 31 October. It will be the first Convention held by the MEU as an independent Union. The Convention brings together workplace delegates from open cut and underground coal mines, metalliferous mines and railways, power stations and coal ports from around Australia. Topics to be discussed at Convention include: Safety trends including responses to recent mining fatalities Same Job Same Pay and workplace reforms Net Zero Economy Authority and supporting workers affected by transition…

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.