Tuesday, 28 October 2025

The Coalition will seek a Senate inquiry into the Administration of the CFMEU after repeated revelations show the Minister’s strongest possible action is failing and incapable of stemming corruption.

Mr Wilson said Minister Amanda Rishworth’s blind confidence in the Administrator has destroyed her credibility.

“The Minister has strapped herself to the decisions of the failing Administration,” Mr Wilson said.

“Whistleblowers are risking their livelihoods in the absence of CFMEU Administration action.

“Time and again, corruption inside the CFMEU is being exposed by journalists, not by the Administration.

“When the Prime Minister sits at the ALP National Executive table, when he turns to his left he sees Zach Smith, the Victorian CFMEU boss, and relies on his vote. That is a conflict of interest.

“Figures like John Setka and Mick Gatto continue to associate with CFMEU leaders right under the Administrator’s nose. We now know Setka and Gatto have more power and control than they did a year ago.

“Bribes and gifts have been paid to organisers and the Administration has let it go.

“The Senate must urgently establish an inquiry to examine whether the Administration is fit for purpose and establish what exactly is going on because clearly the Government does not know.”

Senator Maria Kovacic, Chair of the Senate Education and Employment References Committee, said a Senate inquiry would allow for answers to be given for the many questions about continued links between the Government appointed CFMEU’s Administration and organised crime that continue to emerge.

“The evidence from Senate estimates and the 60 Minutes program were shocking: continued links between the CFMEU and organised crime, and an Administration that may be covering it up,” Senator Kovacic said.

“Last year, the Government was forced to place the CFMEU into administration amid deeply disturbing allegations of corruption and criminal infiltration.

“Australians deserve to know whether that intervention is genuinely cleaning up the union, or if Labor is turning a blind eye while organised crime continues to run rampant inside a union that has funnelled more than $11.5 million in financial and electoral support to the Labor Party over the past five years.

“A Senate inquiry would allow Senators to call witnesses and question officials from the Administration on what they know about links between the CFMEU and organised crime under oath.

“The job of the Senate is to scrutinise the Government and its actions. There are serious questions about the effectiveness of their administration of the CFMEU. Those doubts must be resolved to restore confidence in their efforts to clean up this rotten union.”

ENDS