The Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) allegedly used former boxers to “intimidate” contractors, the Commission of Inquiry into the union has heard.
Directors from Rosenlund Contractors, the demolition firm behind the take-down of the Toombul shopping centre, addressed the probe into the CFMEU in Queensland on Tuesday.
The shopping centre, near Brisbane Airport, was severely damaged in the 2022 floods.
The inquiry heard evidence from contractors hired to demolish Toombul shopping centre. (ABC Radio Brisbane: Kenji Sato)
The probe, before Commissioner Stuart Wood KC, heard the CFMEU pressured Rosenlund to hire a specific CFMEU delegate, former boxer Trent Broadhurst and pay him over $60,000 for six months of work.
Counsel assisting Eddy Gisonda SC said before Mr Broadhurst started, Rosenlund director Ryan Rosenlund had watched videos of his fights online.
He said Mr Broadhurst was one of several professional boxers who were officials of the union, and played videos of their bouts to the courtroom.
The inquiry heard boxers like Trent Broadhurst were hired to “intimidate” contractors. (ABC News)
“The individuals, or some of the individuals … were men … possessing certain physical attributes that could understandably lead to intimidation,” Mr Gisonda said.
Mr Rosenlund said the direction came from another CFMEU official, Eben Cox — also a former boxer — during negotiations around a new enterprise bargaining agreement.
“He was very insistent the direction came from [assistant secretary Jade Ingham] and we’d all have to live with it,” Mr Rosenlund said.
“He said ‘these are the new rates you have to start paying on the site, and if you don’t start, you won’t pick up a shovel on the site again’.
“It was an existential threat to us.”
The directive to hire Mr Broadhurst came from another CFMEU official and former boxer, Eben Cox, the inquiry heard. (ABC News)
Sites shut down
Mr Rosenlund told the inquiry it was alleged Mr Broadhurst did not do any demolition work while on site and was seen on occasion napping.
“He wasn’t there to do any construction work, let’s put it that way,” he said.
“[One time] I was told Trent trashed the toilets to have an excuse to shut the site down.
“[He allegedly] put toilet paper on the ground, made it look dirty and then shut the site down for not having hygienic facilities.”
Ryan Rosenlund told the inquiry Mr Broadhurst did no construction work and was seen napping on occasion. (ABC News)
At the same time, the CFMEU pressured the contractor to hire a full-time cleaner who was a member of the union to clean the small toilet block, while letting go their temporary cleaner who came in overnight.
“I don’t think she was particularly skilled,” Mr Rosenlund said.
Staff pushed out, inquiry hears
Mr Rosenlund’s father Neile Rosenlund, who was in the process of retiring when the alleged CFMEU interference in the Toombul site was occurring, also gave evidence.
He said the union officials were trying to force out another manager, Tim Fraser, from the site because he believed Mr Fraser had inadvertently upset Jade Ingham years prior.
“Tim had mentioned a name in correspondence … back in 2016 … but that fellow was apparently one of Jade’s enemies and Jade took offence to the mere mention of that name,” Mr Rosenlund said.
“There was no ulterior motive behind Tim mentioning that name, he wasn’t doing anything wrong.”
Neile Rosenlund told the inquiry the union attempted to push out manager Tim Fraser due to perceived slights against Jade Ingham. (ABC News)
He said the CFMEU wanted Mr Fraser, who was effectively one of the bosses of Rosenlund, stopped from attending the Toombul site and speaking with members.
Mr Rosenlund said he eventually met with Jade Ingham and reached a deal allowing Mr Fraser to continue his work — without speaking with members.
“With Jade you don’t cause an argument, you pander to him,” he said.
 He said it was “extremely difficult” dealing with Mr Ingham.
Neile Rosenlund told the court Jade Ingham was “extremely difficult” to deal with.
“If you upset him in anyway, all of a sudden you would not win a job … there may be some delegates or organisers that would find an issue on a job,” he said.
“He let us know he had the power to do whatever he wanted… Jade had all the power to make or break companies like ours.”
Mr Rosenlund alleged he had heard Mr Ingham had what was referred to as a “wall of dogs” on his office wall, or people the union did not like.
The inquiry will continue tomorrow, where contractors who clashed with the CFMEU during the construction of the $1.6bn Toowoomba Bypass project are expected to give evidence.