Fair Work Ombudsman
Citation: FWO-2023-09-25-cfmmeu-central-energy-towers-penalty-media-release
At a glance
- Penalty
- $62,000
What happened
The Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMMEU) and two former officials, Andrew Blakeley and Beau Seiffert, were taken to court by the Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC). The case involved breaches of right of entry laws at the Central Energy Towers project in South Brisbane in November 2020. Blakeley directed workers to stop work and used abusive language towards a site manager. Seiffert was present and did not intervene. The case was later transferred to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
What was decided
The Federal Court imposed penalties of $50,000 against the CFMMEU, $7,500 against Andrew Blakeley, and $4,500 against Beau Seiffert. Justice Thomas described the conduct as “targeted and deliberate” and aimed to deter future breaches of right of entry laws. The Fair Work Ombudsman, Anna Booth, stated that court penalties reinforce the seriousness of violating right of entry laws. The case highlights the Fair Work Ombudsman’s role in investigating and addressing non-compliance in the building and construction industry.
What it means for employers
Employers in the building and construction industry should ensure their sites comply with right of entry laws. This includes preventing employees from directing work stoppages or using abusive language. Managers should be aware of their responsibilities to address and prevent such conduct.
What it means for employees
Employees should be aware of right of entry laws and the consequences of breaching them. Union officials should ensure their actions are lawful and do not disrupt work or involve abusive language. Employees who witness unlawful behaviour should report it to the Fair Work Ombudsman.
Want this applied to your situation?
Reading the decision is free. FairWork Mate goes further — it reads the full case library and applies precedents like this one to your specific facts, citing the cases as it reasons. General information, not a guaranteed outcome or legal advice.
Every statement above is drawn from the published decision. Read the original here:
https://www.fairwork.gov.au/newsroom/media-releases/2023-media-releases/september-2023/20230925-cfmmeu-central-energy-towers-penalty-media-releaseSend your details to Liquid Employment Lawyers
Liquid Employment Lawyers is a paid legal service and our referral partner, not free Fair Work advice. Tell them what has happened and a member of their team will call you back. For free general guidance, use our tools or call the Fair Work Ombudsman on 13 13 94.
Prefer to read first? About Liquid Employment Lawyers · Not sure if you need a lawyer? Read the legal help guides
Want more cases like this?
FairWork Mate tracks Fair Work Ombudsman, Fair Work Commission and Federal Court decisions across Australia. The AI advisor answers plain-English questions grounded on the full corpus — awards cited, industry, penalty amounts and affected employee counts — with a citation to the underlying decision on every answer.
Individual case summaries on this site are free. The full FWC and Federal Court library behind every advisor answer is on Pro.
FairWork Mate AI
This is one decision. Pro reads all of them.
Free case pages cite the top 250 decisions. Pro opens the full Fair Work Commission and Federal Court library, cross-references your own situation against it, and cites the decision behind every answer — plus document upload, so it can read your letter or contract line by line. 150 questions a month, cancel anytime.
Just need this week sorted? A 7-Day Pass is 50 questions over 7 days, no account. Get a 7-Day Pass — $14.99
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 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