A senior barrister, Geoffrey Watson SC, apologises after an outburst during a Brisbane inquiry into allegations of misconduct involving the construction union CFMEU. According to multiple reports, Watson had been defending his report at the inquiry under intense cross-examination. At one point, he threatened to stop participating, saying he was “not coming back,” prompting the inquiry to pause and drawing attention from parties and observers.
Watson then apologises for his comments, with reporting describing his apology as following the exchange and after the inquiry process resumed. The reports say Watson continued to respond to questions about the content of his report and the issues raised by opposing counsel.
The coverage agrees on the broad sequence: Watson is giving evidence or defending his work connected to the CFMEU misconduct inquiry; he makes a disruptive statement under cross-examination; he subsequently apologises to the inquiry. The reports do not indicate that the outburst changes the substance of the allegations being considered, focusing instead on the conduct and tone of the hearing.
