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The news
A powerful inquiry into Queensland’s CFMEU branch is preparing to detail its opening public hearing after “considerable work”, mostly done behind the scenes, in its first month of operation.
The commission of inquiry, led by conservative barrister Stuart Wood AM KC this week announced three experienced lawyers had been appointed as counsel assisting.
Kate Juhasz (left), Liam Kelly KC (second from right) and Polina Kinchina (right) have been named counsel assisting the Queensland CFMEU Commission of Inquiry, led by Stuart Wood AM KC (centre), with help from secretary Bob Gee (second from left).Credit: Lucas Chambers, file, LinkedIn, Murray Gleeson Chambers.
“The commission has been undertaking a range of work consistent with its terms of reference with an opening public hearing to be announced in the near future,” a spokesperson told this masthead.
Why it matters
Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie announced the inquiry in July after a report into violence in the union’s state branch was said to have only scratched the surface.
The probe will use its broad powers to protect and compel witnesses, following reporting by this masthead that uncovered allegations of corruption and criminal links in the Victoria and NSW branches.
Bleijie has conceded an “obsession” with the union, and described the 12-month inquiry – which he would be open to extending – as also being aimed at “enablers” in the former Labor state government.
His “captain’s pick” selection of Melbourne-based Wood, a former Victorian Liberal Party member who donated $1500 to the LNP in 2023, sparked questions about impartiality from the labour movement.
What they said
In its first public statement on Thursday, the inquiry named commercial silk Liam Kelly KC, Kate Juhasz and Polina Kinchina as counsel assisting.
Kelly has appeared largely in complex commercial disputes in Australia and abroad, and has previously acted for the state electoral commission in its fight with the LNP about party donations.
Juhasz and Kinchina both have experience in criminal and regulatory matters. Juhasz was senior lawyer in the Queensland floods inquiry and former Administrative Appeal Tribunal member.
Kinchina’s work has included matters involving foreign bribery, criminal enterprises, and has experience working with forensic accounting and encrypted communications.
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Wood said the experienced trio would be key to “helping the commission examine the matters before it, ensuring the inquiry is conducted with the thoroughness and rigour Queenslanders deserve.”
In a response to questions from this masthead seeking an update on the inquiry’s work this week, a spokesperson said, “a core team has been established with considerable work already under way”.
The government confirmed it has allocated $19.7 million to the inquiry – equal to a separate child safety system probe, which took submissions at launch and held an opening hearing within a month.
Questions to Attorney-General Deb Frecklington about any information sought by, or provided to, the inquiry by government to date went unanswered.
Another perspective
Both the union’s state branch, and its federal administration, declined to respond to questions about initial contact from the inquiry – as did the state Labor opposition.
What you need to know
The inquiry’s terms of reference call for a final report to be handed to government by July 31 next year, with Wood to determine the need for any interim reports and public or private hearings.
The inquiry has been told to have “specific regard” to the report which sparked it, and not duplicate the economic focus of a parallel Queensland Productivity Commission probe into the building sector.
It has also been told to consider “any reports undertaken by the Crime and Corruption Commission (public and private) and the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption”.
Detail is yet to be provided about how submissions to the inquiry, also yet to launch a standalone website, can be made.
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