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🇦🇺 Australia /Crime & Justice

CFMEU forced to deal with organized crime-linked companies, inquiry told

From ABC Australia · () English

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

News Named sources Under investigation
  • The CFMEU union is reportedly forced to engage with companies linked to organized crime to represent its members, a commission of inquiry was told.
  • The union's former administrator stated that identifying and avoiding such companies is difficult due to a lack of publicly available information on organized crime members.
  • Refusing to engage with these employers could leave workers unprotected, presenting a difficult choice for the union.

The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) has "no choice" but to engage with companies allegedly linked to organized crime to protect its members, a Queensland commission of inquiry heard. Mark Irving KC, the union's former administrator, stated that identifying and avoiding such employers is a significant challenge.

Irving, who oversaw the CFMEU's construction divisions nationally in 2024, explained that the union lacks the resources to track individuals involved in organized crime. "The CFMEU is not an organisation that has a body of 20 people keeping track of who is involved in the organised crime space … that is not the CFMEU's job," he told the inquiry.

We do not want to engage with organised crime, we do not want outlaw motorcycle gangs to have roles as employers within this industry, but we do not know who they are.

— Mark Irving KCThe former administrator of the CFMEU explained the union's difficulty in avoiding companies linked to organized crime.

The inquiry heard that the CFMEU recently entered into an enterprise agreement with Form Solutions Australia, a company counsel assisting Patrick Wheelahan KC alleged is associated with Bemir Saracevic, a member of the Comanchero outlaw motorcycle gang. Wheelahan questioned the appropriateness of the union making such an agreement as recently as July 24, 2026.

Irving confirmed he had previously asked the Australian Federal Police (AFP) for information to help identify and remove bikie influence within the union. He noted that lists of outlaw motorcycle gang members are not publicly available and are held by police forces.

The CFMEU is not an organisation that has a body of 20 people keeping track of who is involved in the organised crime space … that is not the CFMEU's job.

— Mark Irving KCMark Irving KC told the inquiry that the union lacks the resources to monitor individuals involved in organized crime.

"We do not want to engage with organised crime, we do not want outlaw motorcycle gangs to have roles as employers within this industry, but we do not know who they are," Irving said. He explained that refusing to engage with major employers, even those with suspected criminal links, risks leaving workers without union representation and protection.

"The question for the CFMEU in those circumstances is: When we know that they're engaged in organised crime, or … they've got drug distribution networks … does the CFMEU then say, 'we're not going to represent our members?'" Irving posed. He described this as a "hard choice," as workers in such industries would remain unregulated and unprotected if the union disengaged.

The question for the CFMEU in those circumstances is: When we know that they're engaged in organised crime, or … they've got drug distribution networks … does the CFMEU then say, 'we're not going to represent our members?'

— Mark Irving KCThe former administrator highlighted the difficult dilemma the union faces when dealing with employers linked to criminal activity.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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