An emergency meeting of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) national executive was held on Monday morning following reports from Nine newspapers that alleged underworld figures and bikie gang members had infiltrated major construction projects.

Shortly afterwards, CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith said the Victorian branch would be placed into administration and the national office would assume all senior executive powers.

Shadow treasurer Angus Taylor said the government, as the Labor Party, must stop taking donations from the union, deregister the CFMEU and re-establish the Australian Building and Construction Commission, which it abolished in 2023.

WHAT ARE THE ALLEGATIONS?

• Bikies and criminals are acting as CFMEU delegates employed on federal and state government-funded projects
• A convicted criminal and bikie figure appointed as a CFMEU official used a car assigned to a Victorian taxpayer project to engage in bikie gang activities
• CFMEU officials are pushing union-preferred and organised crime-backed labour hire companies on to major Sydney sites
• Victorian CFMEU boss John Sekta corresponded with Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto

WHO ARE THE MAIN PLAYERS?

• John Sekta – head of the union’s Victorian branch resigned on Friday after 12 years in the role, citing “malicious attacks” and “ongoing false allegations”
• Zach Smith – the union’s national secretary said it has zero tolerance for criminality after the national executive placed the Victorian branch into administration
• Anthony Albanese – the prime minister removed Mr Sekta from the Labor Party in 2019 when he was opposition leader and welcomed his decision to step down
• Tony Burke – the industrial relations minister has the power to deregister the union over the allegations
• Jacinta Allan – Victoria’s premier is expected to speak on Monday after not making any public comment over the weekend

WHAT’S NEXT?

• A law firm will be hired to investigate the allegations but Mr Albanese said “further action” is needed
• Tony Burke says all options must be on the table, including deregistration
• The allegations have been referred to Victoria Police

IS THIS THE FIRST TIME THE CFMEU AND OTHER UNIONS HAVE FACED SCRUNITY? 

• No. In 2015, a national royal commission found thugs and bullies were involved in unions across Australia and misconduct had taken place in every jurisdiction except the Northern Territory
• Former High Court judge Dyson Heydon identified six CFMEU officials to be referred to prosecutors 
• The final report made 79 recommendations, including banning union officials who have been convicted of an offence attracting a jail term of five years or more