A regional Work Health and Safety Queensland (WHSQ) safety director has told an inquiry that he was “dishonest” with his superiors in Brisbane. The director says the misleading information was intended to shield Far North Queensland inspectors from the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU). In accounts reported by multiple outlets, he frames the CFMEU’s approach as intimidating, reportedly comparing the union to the “mafia.”
The admissions relate to internal arrangements and communications between the Far North office and management in Brisbane. The director’s evidence describes a decision to mislead Brisbane-based bosses in order to reduce the union’s influence or involvement with workplace safety processes affecting inspectors in the region.
The reports across outlets describe the same core points: the director’s characterization of the CFMEU, his admission of dishonesty toward Brisbane superiors, and the stated rationale of protecting Far North inspectors. The coverage does not indicate any resolution or final findings in the available summaries.
