Mark Irving KC, the prominent barrister appointed to clean up Australia's most scandal-plagued union, has resigned as administrator of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Union after two years battling entrenched corruption, criminality, and organized violence.
According to the ABC, Irving commissioned multiple investigations into the union, removed hundreds of officials from their positions, and received death threats for his efforts to reform an organization described as having been infiltrated by criminal networks.
The CFMEU — representing construction, forestry, and maritime workers — was placed under administration in 2024 following revelations of widespread corruption that shocked even observers familiar with the union's turbulent history. Investigations uncovered systematic links to organized crime, violence against non-compliant workers, and elaborate schemes to extract payments from construction companies.
Irving's resignation comes as the Queensland commission of inquiry into the CFMEU resumes this week, suggesting the job of reforming the union remains far from complete. His departure raises questions about whether external administration can genuinely solve problems this deeply rooted, or whether the issues will simply re-emerge once administrators leave.
Mate, this is Australia's most controversial union, operating in the country's most volatile industry. Construction work is dangerous, wages are high, and the fight over who controls job sites has always been brutal. The CFMEU emerged from that environment, and some argue it can't be understood outside that context.
The union has historically been one of the most powerful in Australia, capable of shutting down major construction projects and extracting significant concessions from employers. That power made it an attractive target for criminal infiltration, as control over construction sites meant control over who worked, which companies got contracts, and where money flowed.
For workers, the picture is complicated. Many members credit the CFMEU with securing the highest construction wages in the world and life-saving safety improvements on job sites. Others describe a culture of intimidation where challenging union officials meant risking your livelihood or worse.
Irving's tenure saw more than 400 officials removed from positions, dozens of investigations launched, and significant reforms to union governance structures. But whether those changes will survive his departure remains to be seen.
The CFMEU represents about 100,000 workers across construction, forestry, and maritime industries. Its future direction will have implications for major infrastructure projects, workplace safety standards, and the broader labor movement in Australia.
The question now is whether Irving's replacement will continue the reform agenda with the same intensity, or whether the union's powerful factions will find ways to reassert control. Based on the CFMEU's history, count on it being messy either way.
