Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2023-07-28-cfmmeu-crossriver2-penalty-media-release
At a glance
- Penalty
- $225,320
What happened
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and two union representatives, Michael Ravbar and Andrew Blakeley, were penalised for unlawful conduct at construction sites on the Queensland Cross River Rail project. The incidents occurred at the Woolloongabba and Roma Street Station sites in Brisbane on August 19 and 24, 2021. They breached right of entry laws by failing to follow site protocols, bringing unauthorized vehicles onto the sites, and setting up a BBQ which disrupted work. Andrew Blakeley also made physical contact with a site representative. The Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) initially brought the legal action, which later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
What was decided
The Federal Circuit and Family Court imposed a total penalty of $225,320 against the CFMMEU ($204,000), Michael Ravbar ($9,320), and Andrew Blakeley ($12,000). Michael Ravbar also received a personal payment order. Judge Salvatore Vasta noted Ravbar’s position required him to be an example of compliance. The court found his repeated breaches demonstrated the need for a significant deterrent. The Fair Work Ombudsman stated that court penalties are important for upholding the seriousness of right of entry law breaches.
What it means for employers
Employers in the building and construction sector should ensure that all visitors and workers adhere to site protocols and obtain necessary permissions. This includes visitor inductions and authorization for bringing vehicles or equipment onto the site. Site managers should be vigilant in enforcing these rules.
What it means for employees
Employees and union representatives must comply with right of entry laws and site protocols. Failure to do so can result in significant penalties. Employees seeking workplace information or advice can contact the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2023-media-releases/july-2023/20230728-cfmmeu-crossriver2-penalty-media-releaseWant more cases like this?
FairWork Mate tracks Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission and Federal Court decisions across Australia. The full dataset, with structured fields for awards cited, industry, penalty amounts and affected employee counts, is available through the Business API. FairWork Mate AI answers plain-English questions grounded on the full corpus.
Individual case summaries on this site are free. API + AI access is a paid product. Contact us for pricing or a 50% off first month.
Get notified on new Fair Work cases
Free email alerts when we publish new underpayment decisions, penalty orders, and workplace law updates.
Free forever. No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
This summary was drafted by AI from the published decision and reviewed before publishing. It is general information, not legal advice. For your specific situation, speak to the Fair Work Ombudsman (13 13 94) or a qualified lawyer. About these summaries & corrections →