CFMEU rally LIVE updates: Union protests across the country after ...

In Queensland, thousands of workers have walked off the job and gathered at Queens Gardens park in Brisbane to show their support for the CFMEU.

Offices near the park were locked down this morning, with staff at the Queensland government’s main offices on 1 William Street told they’re unable to leave the building between 11am and 1pm amid feared safety risks from potential escalating demonstrations.

CFMEU members coming from South Brisbane shut down bus traffic over the Victoria Bridge on their way to the protest.

Other trade unions have turned out at the Brisbane demonstration to show their support, including the Electrical Trades Union (ETU).

An official from the electrical union’s Queensland branch said improved safety conditions over the past two decades were a result of the trade union movement, and called the move to put the CFMEU into administration an “attack on the trade union movement”.

Protesters in Queens Gardens in Brisbane.Credit: Neesha Sinnya

“[Ninety-eight] per cent of [workers] are the good ones,” ETU Queensland deputy state secretary Peter Ong told crowds of protesters at Queens Gardens in Brisbane.

“The criminals in the building and construction industry are the builders and developers.

“The trade union movement in this country is under attack.”

He added he was told the ETU was “next”.

We’ve currently got photographers and reporters on the ground at CFMEU rallies across the country.

Check out our gallery below of some of the photos from today so far:

“Intense media scrutiny” has temporarily derailed the court case that toppled the leaders of the NSW CFMEU over allegations they solicited $5000 kickbacks from a building company.

Darren Greenfield, 56, and his son Michael, 36, were the secretary and assistant secretary of the construction union until this month.

Jillian Caldwell (centre), a lawyer for sacked CFMEU NSW boss Darren Greenfield, leaves Downing Centre Local Court today.Credit: Kate Geraghty

That was despite the pair being arrested in September 2021 and charged with soliciting and accepting payments in exchange for preferential treatment to a building company.

The long-running case was scheduled for a three-day hearing in September, when two prosecution witnesses will face cross-examination from the Greenfields’ lawyers.

But, on Tuesday, their lawyer told Downing Centre Local Court the Greenfields were “no longer in a position to proceed.

“My clients are the former state secretary and assistant state secretary of the NSW CFMEU which, on Friday, was put into administration,” barrister Jillian Caldwell said.

“Darren Greenfield was terminated that day, Michael resigned two weeks ago after intense media scrutiny.”

Magistrate Greg Grogin informed members of the media, in the public gallery, that it was “no admission” of guilt on behalf of the Greenfields.

He set down the case to return to court on October 29.

The case is still expected to proceed to trial.

Thousands of Melbourne construction workers have downed tools to join the CFMEU protest.

Dressed largely in high-vis, they descended out the front of the Trades Hall in Carlton in the city’s inner-north, ready to protest through the streets of the city.

Members on stage riled up the crowd.

“It’s only illegal if they don’t believe in it, and if they don’t believe it in we are thugs and scoundrels,” shouted one member.

You can watch Melbourne’s protest action live below:

National secretary of the CFMEU Zach Smith has arrived at the Canberra protest this morning.

About 200 protesters have gathered in the Canberra suburb of Woden against the federal government’s forced administration of the embattled CFMEU.

Two separate groups of CFMEU members marched into the town square chanting “union power to the beat of drums.

Smith is expected to speak shortly.

Joshua Bolitho, the branch president of the ACT executive of the CFMEU, kicked off speeches in Canberra, yelling at the crowd to chant “union power”.

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Bolitho told the growing crowd the government’s forced administration of the union had sacked 270 members “undemocratically”.

“They have gone after working-class people, they have gone after our members, and they’ve gone after your wages and conditions,” he shouted into a megaphone.

“The reality is people don’t like how much construction workers make. You bargain. They don’t like that. You fight and they don’t like that. You will demand a better living and a better life for your fellow workers and for your family. If they want to come after our wages, f---ing come and get them.”

The crowd cheered, shouting “shame” regularly, and raised fists in support of Bolitho.

CFMEU members gathered at Martin Place in Sydney’s CBD ahead of a major demonstration in front of NSW Parliament House.

Red, green and black union flags fluttered above high-vis clad protesters in the morning wind as chants of “union power” erupted.

Members of the Maritime Union of Australia joined CFMEU members to protest in Sydney’s CBD.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

A strong, heavily armed police presence was evident both inside parliament and on Macquarie Street.

State MPs who were briefed on the protest said police appeared nervous about the rally.

CFMEU member Peter, who declined to provide his surname, said the federal government’s push to place the union into administration would reduce safety and pay on worksites.

Asked about his view on the Breaking Bad series of stories, which outlined allegations of impropriety, Peter replied: “There’s corruption in everything.”

Much of what was going on was “above his head”, he said.

CFMEU members headed north up Macquarie Street, chanting, “Hands off our union”, and, “Union power”. Traffic on the usually humming CBD street has been blocked off.

“What do we do when we’re under attack?” one union leader with a megaphone asked.

“Hands up, fight back,” union members responded.

Protesters marched to NSW Parliament. Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

A loud cheer rose up as Maritime Union of Australia marchers met CFMEU marchers at the top of Macquarie Street.

Men in high-vis gear were streaming into the crowd from all sides, with flags representing the NSW Plumbers Union also in the throng.

A NSW Police officer monitoring the protest estimated the protest size at easily in the thousands.

“They keep spilling out of everywhere,” he said.

The CFMEU protest settled out the front of Parliament House.

The raucous cheers of union members applauded “the mighty Darren Greenfield”.

With a pumped fist and wearing a black CFMEU T-shirt, Greenfield, secretary of the NSW branch, took aim at the “rotten Labor party”.

The cry prompted a wave of chants saying, “F--- Albo”.

A defiant Greenfield declared: “I’m not going anywhere.”

He called on union members to “vote the bastards out” at the upcoming state and federal elections.

Thousands of CFMEU members have gathered in Sydney now, with a large group joining a crowd of marchers at Elizabeth Street in the CBD.

A Maritime Union of Australia member said that if the CFMEU was put into administration, other unions might be next. But asked about the substance of the allegations against the CFMEU, he chose not to comment.

Members of the MUA join CFMEU members’ protest in Sydney’s CBD.Credit: Dominic Lorrimer

CFMEU member Paul Praturlon, who joined the march with dozens of his co-workers on Elizabeth Street, said the administrator would change the enterprise bargaining agreement and cut their wages.

He said some of the allegations aired in the media were “probably true”, but believed a lot was also made up and he had never seen such activity at his worksite.

“There are bad apples everywhere,” he said.

Earlier, about 60 protesters gathered outside the Maritime Union of Australia headquarters on Sussex Street. They carried signs that read “I stand with the CFMEU” and maritime union flags and began to march.

Police and riot squad officers were also in attendance.

The call and respond cries from members were: “CFMEU? Here to stay”, and “Touch one? Touch all”.

Talking about today’s CFMEU rallies, Victorian Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas said everybody has a right to legitimate industrial action that the Fair Work Commission deemed appropriate.

“The action being taken today is not appropriate ... I am more than happy to make very clear that this action is unjustified and unlawful,” Pallas said.

“We would urge people to get back to work as soon as possible.”

Victorian Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas speaking to media in July.Credit: AAP

Pallas said construction workers, whose job sites are often dangerous, deserved the best representation from effective and well-resourced unions.

“But what they shouldn’t do is take action that is unlawful.”

Premier Jacinta Allan and Transport Infrastructure Minister Danny Pearson said interruptions to government projects would be a matter for construction partners to manage.

“Over the course of today, we will work with our construction partners on any impacts. Let’s wait and see what happens over the course of the day,” Allan said.

“But we work every single day with our construction partners on working through the challenges of delivering really important infrastructure projects for our state.

“I will say that my expectation, my very firm expectation, is that any protest activity is engaged in a peaceful way.”

Allan said the state government’s anti-bikie bill would be brought “soon” but would not confirm if it would still be introduced to state parliament this week.

Victorian Police Minister Anthony Carbines joined calls for today’s rally to be peaceful.

“I don’t think anyone’s expecting trouble. People are expecting those who choose to protest to do so peacefully, and there’s a good record of people doing that in Victoria at a range of different events, different protests,” Carbines told reporters outside Victorian parliament.

He said police were well resourced to manage the protest, beginning at the Trades Hall at 11am.