The Albanese government has allocated nearly $9 million for the personal protection of the current and former administrators of the CFMEU, following allegations of death threats from organised crime elements. A Senate estimates hearing on Tuesday revealed the Department of Education and Employment received $5.3 million over two years in the 2026-27 budget for protective security services for Michael Crosby, who was appointed administrator last month after the union was placed in administration in late 2024.
Details of security spending
Crosby's predecessor, Mark Irving, who served as administrator for only about 20 months, was allocated approximately $3.8 million over successive budgets for his own protection, officials told Liberal Senator Jane Hume. Environment Minister Murray also disclosed he had received close personal protection for a period of time, though he declined to provide further details, stating, "I don't want to sound too precious about this, but I don't think it's a great idea in a public forum to disclose whether I or anyone else have personal security."
ACTU secretary also had security
The hearing also heard that Australian Council of Trade Unions secretary Sally McManus had security, though Employment Minister Watt noted it was not taxpayer-funded. "There were a number of criminal elements around the country who were not very happy when this government entered an administration of that union because it stood to disrupt their business model," he said.
Watt defended the spending, emphasising that the costs were borne by taxpayers, not the CFMEU or its members. "Our view as a government was that it was the right decision to require the costs of the administration to be paid for by CFMEU members, including because the administrators are now effectively the officials of that union," he said. "Given the parliament had set up this administration scheme, there was a responsibility on government to pay for the personal protection of the person who took on that role from threats being made from outside the union."
Pressed further, Watt questioned whether building employers should contribute to the costs of protecting someone breaking up the rort involving some employers and union officials, or whether it should only be borne by workers.
AFP investigations
The hearing was told that the Australian Federal Police had found threats against Irving's life were "not only credible, but by people with the means and the motive to carry them out," not necessarily from CFMEU members. "In some cases, they were made by organised crime elements outside the CFMEU membership," an official said. As of March 31, the AFP was undertaking three investigations related to unlawful conduct across the building and construction industry, with some high-profile arrests already made.
