18 October 2023

In September 2022, the ABCC commenced court proceedings alleging that the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and four of its officials - Brendan Holl, Mark Cross, Joseph Uati and Karl Hitchcock - breached section 348 of the Fair Work Act in October 2021 at the Huntington Apartment construction site in Newcastle by attempting to coerce workers who did not engage in industrial action at the site. The ABCC also alleged that the CFMMEU and two of its officials, Mr Holl and Troy Davis, breached section 500 of the Fair Work Act by hindering and obstructing the operation of a tower crane at the site on 12 October 2021, and that Mr Davis breached section 503 of the Fair Work Act by misrepresenting that they were authorised to do so. In December 2022, these proceedings were transferred from the ABCC to the Fair Work Ombudsman. In October 2023, the Fair Work Ombudsman discontinued these proceedings. Court orders can be accessed at the Comcourts website.