Commissioner Stuart Wood is considering whether the Queensland inquiry into the CFMEU should make recommendations before its December 2027 end date, after hearing evidence that police did not intervene in a union blockade at Cross River Rail's Albert Street station in May 2023.
Commissioner Stuart Wood is weighing whether the Queensland Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry should hand down recommendations before its scheduled end date of December 3, 2027.
Wood's comments on Wednesday followed evidence from Cross River Rail project superintendent James Maher about a CFMEU blockade at the Albert Street Station site on May 24, 2023. Police body-cam vision played to the inquiry showed Maher telling an officer that the picket line was preventing a critical concrete pour. “They are going to cause potentially half a million dollars worth of damage to our business. Is that something that you’re all willing to intervene and prevent?” Maher is heard saying. The officer responds: “I’ll have to take it as it comes.”
Police told Maher they did not have jurisdiction to intervene in protected industrial action, despite Maher's protest that the site's enterprise agreement was with the rival Australian Workers Union, not the CFMEU. Officers also suggested other avenues, an approach Wood dismissed. “Everything that police officer did, every decision that seemed to be made seemed to be the wrong one legally or administratively,” he said.
Echoing his earlier exasperation in July about police inaction at the Centenary Bridge worksite in 2024, Wood said the pattern showed it might not be prudent to wait until the end of the inquiry. “Instead, we get endless meetings and diversions and excuses and instructions to negotiate, and eventually throwing up the hands, saying, ‘We don’t have the resources to deal with this mob.’” He added: “I just find it extraordinary.”
Wood said the inquiry was producing an interim report on whether to recommend the Queensland government bring back a procurement code to govern about $120 billion of government expenditure on construction projects over the next four years. “I just wonder whether we really should wait ’til December 2027 to say something,” he said.
In May, Deputy Premier and Industrial Relations Minister Jarrod Bleijie extended the inquiry by almost 18 months. Earlier this month, the government and inquiry brushed off calls, including from the union's own administration-commissioned investigator, barrister Geoffrey Watson SC, for a Victorian inquiry-style special prosecutor to act on evidence of criminality before any final report.
The inquiry continues on Thursday, when former New York State Organised Crime Task Force director Ronald Goldstock is due to provide evidence.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- Commissioner Wood has flagged that the inquiry may produce recommendations well before its December 2027 deadline, which could change how Queensland manages about $120 billion in construction spending over the next four years.
- The evidence before the inquiry raises questions about how police respond to industrial blockades on major public infrastructure projects.
- Any early recommendations on a procurement code could affect future taxpayer-funded construction contracts.
Background
The Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry was extended in May by Deputy Premier and Industrial Relations Minister Jarrod Bleijie by almost 18 months, moving its end date to December 3, 2027. Earlier this month the government and inquiry brushed off calls, including from barrister Geoffrey Watson SC, the union's own administration-commissioned investigator, for a Victorian inquiry-style special prosecutor to act on evidence of criminality before any final report. The inquiry has already heard concerns about police inaction, including at the Centenary Bridge worksite in 2024. The CFMEU is a major construction union in Queensland.
Key Perspectives
Commissioner Stuart Wood: Says the inquiry should consider making recommendations before its end date, describing police decisions at the Cross River Rail site as “the wrong one legally or administratively” and questioning why police did not intervene.
Police officers at the Cross River Rail site: Told project superintendent James Maher they did not have jurisdiction to intervene in protected industrial action and suggested he pursue other avenues, including the Fair Work Commission, the Federal Court and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland.
What to Watch
- Whether Wood releases an early report or recommendations on reintroducing a procurement code for government construction spending.
- Evidence from Ronald Goldstock, former director of the New York State Organised Crime Task Force, scheduled for Thursday.
- Any response from Queensland police or the government to the commissioner's criticism.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 1 source: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedThe CFMEU inquiry commissioner is considering making early recommendations after hearing evidence of police inaction.The Age - Latest News: “After hearing evidence from Cross River Rail project superintendent James Maher on Wednesday, Commissioner Stuart Wood said the commission should consider making recommendations before its end-date.”
- SupportedStuart Wood questioned police handling of the 2023 Cross River Rail blockade.The Age - Latest News: “Wood’s comments came after the inquiry had just heard evidence of police inaction at Cross River Rail’s Albert Street Station site, where they would not intervene in a CFMEU blockade on May 24, 2023.”
- SupportedThe inquiry is scheduled to end on December 3, 2027.The Age - Latest News: “In May, Deputy Premier and Industrial Relations Minister Jarrod Bleijie extended the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry by almost 18 months to December 3, 2027.”
- SupportedPolice would not intervene in the CFMEU blockade at Albert Street Station on May 24, 2023.The Age - Latest News: “Wood’s comments came after the inquiry had just heard evidence of police inaction at Cross River Rail’s Albert Street Station site, where they would not intervene in a CFMEU blockade on May 24, 2023.”
- SupportedMaher said the blockade could cause potentially half a million dollars’ worth of damage and asked police whether they would intervene and prevent it.The Age - Latest News: ““They are going to cause potentially half a million dollars worth of damage to our business. Is that something that you’re all willing to intervene and prevent?” Maher is heard saying to a police officer.”
- SupportedThe officer replied, “I’ll have to take it as it comes.”The Age - Latest News: “The officer responds: “I’ll have to take it as it comes.””
- SupportedPolice told Maher they did not have jurisdiction to intervene in protected industrial action, despite his argument about the enterprise agreement being with the Australian Workers Union.The Age - Latest News: “Police tell Maher in the footage they did not have jurisdiction to intervene in protected industrial action, despite Maher’s protestations that their enterprise agreement was with the rival Australian Workers Union, not the CFMEU, so it was therefore not protected action.”
- SupportedWood said police officers’ decisions seemed legally or administratively wrong.The Age - Latest News: ““Everything that police officer did, every decision that seemed to be made seemed to be the wrong one legally or administratively,” he said.”
- SupportedWood said there were “endless meetings and diversions and excuses” and that police eventually said they did not have the resources to deal with the group.The Age - Latest News: ““Instead, we get endless meetings and diversions and excuses and instructions to negotiate, and eventually throwing up the hands, saying, ‘We don’t have the resources to deal with this mob.’””
- SupportedWood said the inquiry was producing an interim report on whether to recommend bringing back a government procurement code.The Age - Latest News: ““We’re in the process of producing an interim report in relation to whether or not we should recommend that the Queensland government bring back a procurement code”
- SupportedThe proposed procurement code would govern about $120 billion of government construction-project expenditure over the next four years.The Age - Latest News: “on the upcoming $120 billion or so of government expenditure on construction projects over the next four years”
- SupportedWood wondered whether the inquiry should wait until December 2027 to say something.The Age - Latest News: ““I just wonder whether we really should wait ’til December 2027 to say something.””