CFMEU inquiry: Cross River Rail contract under the microscope
The CFMEU inquiry is examining the union's influence on the Cross River Rail project, with contractors alleging significant cost overruns due to union actions and labor policies. CPB, the main contractor, claims up to $830 million in added costs and described confrontational tactics including protests, sabotage, and exclusion of subcontractors. Testimony also revealed government projects incorporating CFMEU-backed labor conditions, raising concerns about union 'capture' of public agencies. The inquiry continues with scrutiny of both union conduct and government contracting practices.
- ▪CPB estimates up to $830 million in additional costs on the Cross River Rail project due to CFMEU activities and Labor’s best practice industry conditions policy.
- ▪A CFMEU organizer, Eben Cox, was identified in footage blocking access to a construction site during a critical concrete pour in April 2023.
- ▪The inquiry heard that government tenders for the Cairns Convention Centre and Lockyer Valley Correctional Centre explicitly required CFMEU-aligned subcontractor pay conditions.
- ▪CPB alleged that CFMEU representatives engaged in sabotage, including spraying CCTV cameras and stealing equipment keys, during 2024.
- ▪Former Labor minister Grace Grace has secured legal representation after evidence she threatened to cancel a $1.5 billion infrastructure contract.
Full article excerpt tap to expand
{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","item":{"@id":"https://www.smh.com.au/national","name":"National"},"position":1},{"@type":"ListItem","item":{"@id":"https://www.smh.com.au/national/queensland","name":"Queensland"},"position":2},{"@type":"ListItem","item":{"@id":"https://www.smh.com.au/topic/unions-1mzn","name":"Trade unions"},"position":3}]}AdvertisementLiveNationalQueenslandTrade unionsCFMEU inquiry: Cross River Rail contract under the microscopeMatt DennienUpdated April 28, 2026 — 5:15pm,first published 10:09amSaveYou have reached your maximum number of saved items.Remove items from your saved list to add more.ShareAAABack to TopKey PostsCFMEU organiser involved in ‘climate’ protest halting concrete pourContractors estimated $830m hit to Cross River Rail from CFMEU, Labor policy‘This doesn’t feel right’: Trad-picked authority adviser wrote letter sent from Hotmail addressAlbanese government thanks Irving, recommits to union clean-upFormer Labor minister lawyers up after inquiry hears of $1.5b contract threatRebuilding a ‘mistake’ while probe ongoing, inquiry figure saysMammoth Cross River Rail project back in inquiry’s sights this weekWatch the CFMEU inquiry livestream{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","dateModified":"2026-04-28T00:09:40Z","datePublished":"2026-04-28T00:09:40Z","description":"Welcome back for another day of our live coverage of the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry.","headline":"CFMEU inquiry: Cross River Rail contract under the microscope","keywords":"Trade unions, CFMEU, Queensland government, Building Bad, Just in BT, Just in, Brisbane","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt Dennien","jobTitle":"Reporter","url":"/by/matt-dennien-p4yvo3"}],"mainEntityOfPage":{"@id":"https://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/national/queensland/cfmeu-inquiry-cross-river-rail-contract-under-the-microscope-20260414-p5znmu.html","@type":"WebPage"},"image":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":"1322.6666666666665","url":"https://static.ffx.io/images/$zoom_0.2627%2C$multiply_0.7025%2C$ratio_1.777778%2C$width_1059%2C$x_0%2C$y_189/t_crop_custom/q_86%2Cf_auto/862de91da931b97a1078eed780b34e1932f37f07","width":"744"},"isAccessibleForFree":false,"hasPart":[{"@type":"WebPageElement","isAccessibleForFree":false,"cssSelector":".paywall"}],"publisher":{"@type":"NewsMediaOrganization","name":"The Sydney Morning Herald","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","height":"628","url":"https://www.smh.com.au/metro-assets/assets/static/smh.png","width":"1200"},"url":"https://www.smh.com.au"},"isPartOf":{"@type":["CreativeWork","Product"],"name":"The Sydney Morning Herald","productID":"smh.com.au:webonly"}}{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"LiveBlogPosting","coverageStartTime":"2026-04-28T00:09:40Z","coverageEndTime":"2026-04-28T07:15:11+00:00","dateModified":"2026-04-28T00:09:40Z","datePublished":"2026-04-28T00:09:40Z","description":"Welcome back for another day of our live coverage of the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction Industry.","headline":"CFMEU inquiry: Cross River Rail contract under the microscope","keywords":"Trade unions, CFMEU, Queensland government, Building Bad, Just in BT, Just in, Brisbane","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Matt…
This excerpt is published under fair use for community discussion. Read the full article at The Sydney Morning Herald.
Discussion
0 commentsMore from The Sydney Morning Herald
