A former construction union official has launched a high court challenge against the Albanese government’s law appointing administrators to run the union following accusations of criminal misconduct and bikie links.
Jade Ingham, former national president of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union, announced on Tuesday the challenge had been launched, accusing state and federal Labor governments of “active treachery and class warfare” for having “stolen” the union from members.
Last week Guardian Australia reported the challenge is expected to argue the law breached the separation of powers and did not afford the CFMEU due process, because the Fair Work Commission general manager had already applied to appoint an administrator in the federal court.
In a statement, Ingham said: “The most important people in this are the members of the CFMEU whose voices have been excluded. Members are furious about their union being taken away from them. Their union has been stolen from them.”
“This is active treachery and class warfare against the working class in this country from the state and federal governments. Union bashing never worked for the Tories, so why did Labor think it would work for them? CFMEU members will have their voices heard.”
Sacked Queensland and Northern Territory construction secretary, Michael Ravbar, had told a public rally on Tuesday that he would also be a plaintiff in the challenge, which will contest parallel laws passed at the state level, including in New South Wales.
At a press conference in Perth, the prime minister, Anthony Albanese, said the federal Labor government is “cleaning up the industry and we make no apologies for it”.
He said the challenge was “fully expected”, citing the fact that the Victorian construction secretary, John Setka, who resigned from the union, had also taken Labor to court over Albanese’s decision to have him expelled from the party.
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“We will stand by our position – the government’s position will be defended.”
Albanese said Labor had taken “strong action” to appoint administrators to the CFMEU. He noted that Coalition former ministers, including Peter Dutton, had said issues in the construction industry had “been around for a long period of time” but hadn’t “done anything about it”.
The Australian Building and Construction Commission – the Coalition’s watchdog – “didn’t solve it”, he said.
“I’m about fixing it, because decent trade unionists who work to improve the wages and conditions of their fellow members … they deserve our respect.
“And the legitimate role of the trade union movement is undermined wherever there is corruption.”
