‘No response’: Former CFMEU delegate claims administrator not effective in tackling issues in construction industry

A former CFMEU delegate claims the “head of the octopus” had been cut “but the tentacles are still in place” in the embattled union days after fresh allegations of harassment and violence by union representatives. The Albanese government forced the CFMEU into administration last August following media reports of alleged corruption. Former CFMEU delegate Mario Barrios claimed government-appointed administrator Mark Irving KC and police weren’t capable of tackling issues in the industry and corruption had spread in Sydney’s construction industry, according to The Sydney Morning Herald. “There are a number of credible allegations made by some subcontractors or union members to the NSW administrators and no response or investigation has taken place,” Mr Barrios said. Mr Barrios, who was also a CFMEU NSW branch committee of management member for 28 years, also said the NSW administration was a “generous four out of 10” in terms of effectiveness, and companies and individuals weren’t confident anything would change. “The administrator has cut the head off the octopus but the tentacles are still in place,” he told the Herald. Mr Irving has been contacted for comment. The claims follow fresh 60 Minutes allegations of harassment and violence against women by union representatives. The program also accused the Victorian Labor government of covering up the ongoing infiltration of organised crime on CFMEU worksites linked to the state’s Big Build infrastructure scheme. In a statement, the union said it “has had limited resources” to deal with the issues raised on the program. “If we are serious about changing culture and supporting women, we, the male leaders of this union, must stand up and make it an issue for all of us. As long as I am at this union, I will commit myself to fighting for equality, access and the safety of women,” the spokesman said. “Construction workers own this union. They are ultimately the victims of criminality and corruption within the industry. “The union supports any allegations of criminality being reported to the police.” The Coalition vowed to bring in a federal taskforce to investigate allegations against the CFMEU following the fresh claims. The proposed unit was announced alongside a suite of measures to curb the militant union. The taskforce would be led by the Australian Federal Police and include Commonwealth agencies the Australian Taxation Office and the Australian Criminal Intelligence Commission as well as state and territory police. Mr Dutton said he wanted the union to be deregistered and said allegations of criminal infiltration, standover tactics, bullying and corruption at the CFMEU was the “biggest corruption scandal in our country”.