‘Personal challenges’: Crisafulli sidesteps questions about CFMEU corruption inquiry resignations

Premier David Crisafulli sidestepped questions about the resignation of four lawyers from the commission of inquiry into CFMEU corruption, referring to commissioner Stuart Wood, KC, as having “personal challenges”.

This masthead revealed last week the highly anticipated inquiry had suffered a significant setback after veteran senior silk Liam Kelly, KC, and three junior barristers resigned amid concerns about its operations.

Kelly was named just weeks ago as the counsel assisting the commissioner, and his resignation threatens to upend the inquiry called by the conservative Queensland government. It also risks undermining the federal opposition’s plans to use the inquiry to heap pressure on the Albanese government over its failure to rid the nation’s construction sector of corruption.

“I’m mindful of some of the personal challenges that the commissioner has had, and I won’t go into those,” Crisafulli said.

“But my focus is on making sure that the terms of reference are there for the commission to drive the change that we need in the building sector. And to make sure that we have safe environments, to make sure that misogyny and bullying and those practices and the culture of intimidation from the CFMEU becomes a thing of the past.”

Crisafulli referred to Attorney-General Deb Frecklington when asked whether the lawyers’ departures would cause delays or affect the commission in other ways.

Frecklington declined to answer questions from this masthead, saying it would be inappropriate to comment on the independent commission’s internal matters.

As the counsel assisting, Kelly was anticipated to play a key role in investigations and the interrogations of witnesses from the CFMEU in Queensland, as well as players in crime syndicates and building firms operating in Victoria and NSW but whose reach extends into Queensland.

Confidential sources told this masthead the resignation of Kelly and junior barristers Kate Juhasz, Polina Kinchina and Ben Dighton came after Kelly raised a series of concerns about the inquiry’s management and operation.

Queensland government sources said the concerns have been rebutted by Wood, but involved claims the commission’s operations were being negatively impacted by the failure to share key information, and disagreement between senior staff over investigative strategy.

A source close to the commission said new barristers were being recruited and it was business as usual at the inquiry, as investigations continued.

The commission of inquiry was launched in response to revelations of widespread corruption in the construction industry revealed in the “Building Bad” series of reports by this masthead, 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review.

‘Very concerning’

Queensland Council of Unions general secretary Jacqueline King told this masthead last week the barristers’ departures were “very concerning” and raised questions about the inquiry as it geared up for public hearings expected within weeks.

“If the commission is going to stand the test of time for being a commission that has any integrity, then, you know, questions need to be answered about why so many staff are all departing at the same time,” King told this masthead.

“Not only do unions need to know that, to think that there is any credence to the commission, but the members of the public also need to know if the commission is being used as a political witch hunt or is it being used for proper purposes.”

Crisafulli pushed back against this, saying the inquiry is “about one union”.

“The vast majority of the unions are as aghast at the behaviour of the CFMEU as I am,” he said.

“This is about one militant union [whose] entire business model has been to bully, harass, intimidate, be thugs, misogynists, and we are going to call time on that in Queensland.”

Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.