Emotional Testimony at Inquiry into Union Misconduct
A high-ranking official has shared a deeply emotional account of alleged abuse involving the former head of the CFMEU, Michael Ravbar, during an inquiry into union misconduct and potential criminal connections in Queensland. The commission of inquiry is currently conducting its tenth block of public hearings in Brisbane, with several key testimonies being heard.
Andrea Fox, a senior executive from the Office of Industrial Relations (OIR), provided a detailed account of a 2018 meeting with Mr. Ravbar at the CFMEU’s headquarters in Bowen Hills. During this meeting, she described how Mr. Ravbar verbally berated and threatened her. “Immediately, he was very, very angry … I think he started with the line: ‘You have some gall coming here,’” Ms. Fox recalled.
She went on to say that Mr. Ravbar told her, “We should have you physically dragged out of here and thrown out of this building.” The situation escalated quickly, with Mr. Ravbar becoming increasingly intense and spiteful. “He was saying: ‘People like you disgust me’ … it was really rage-filled. He was incredibly furious with me,” she said.
Ms. Fox broke down again while recounting her fears that Mr. Ravbar might physically assault her. “It felt like he wanted me to cry or beg for mercy,” she said. She added that she was prepared to get under the table if necessary. She also mentioned that former CFMEU president Royce Kupsh was present but remained silent during the incident.
The inquiry learned that this was the first time Ms. Fox had met Mr. Ravbar and that she was unaware of what had upset him. She later required professional counselling following the incident. “The thing about Mr. Ravbar is [while he has] out-of-control rage … I also knew him to be very powerful,” she said.
During cross-examination, Mr. Ravbar’s lawyer, Charles Massey, asked Ms. Fox whether the CFMEU and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland held opposing views on industrial manslaughter. Mr. Massey suggested that this was a point of contention between the department and the union, and that Mr. Ravbar had referred to Ms. Fox as a “roadblock on these issues.”
Focus on Alleged Union Influence
Counsel assisting the inquiry, Dimitri Ternovski, highlighted that Tuesday’s hearing would focus on the militant union’s alleged “capture” of the state’s workplace health and safety regulator. He stated that the inquiry would also hear evidence regarding the union’s influence over the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC).
“Not only was [former CFMEU leader Jade] Ingham appointed to the QBCC board in 2018, but it appears the commissioner himself [Brett Bassett] was captured,” Mr. Ternovski said. This suggests that the union may have exerted significant control over key regulatory bodies in the state.
The inquiry continues to examine the extent of the CFMEU’s influence and the potential impact on Queensland’s industrial landscape. With more testimony expected, the findings could have far-reaching implications for the future of labor relations in the region.
