CFMEU administrator removes two BUSSQ super directors

As the Federal Opposition last week sought to emphasise the link between the industry fund Cbus and the disgraced Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union, Queensland-based fund, BUSSQ announced two CFMEU directors had been removed from its board.

BUSSQ chair, Chris Taylor announced that the two directors, Jacque Collie and Michael Ravbar had been removed by the CFMEU administrator who had then nominated that they be replaced by Hemal Patel and Paul Dunbar.

Patel is the Head of Finance of the CFMEU Construction and General Division while Paul Dunbar is listed as the industrial officer of the CFMEU Construction and General Division in Queensland.

The BUSSQ statement said that although the CFMEU administrator had not provided reasons for the change in directors, the superannuation fund could “confirm that the change is not related to either directors’ time with BUSSQ”.

“Both outgoing directors were well-respected by the Board, staff and members of the fund,” Taylor’s statement said.

News of the removal of Collie and Ravbar came as the Federal Opposition in the Senate sought to introduce legislation which not only aimed to restore the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) but also sought to draw a line between the CFMEU, Cbus and BUSSQ.

NSW Liberal Senator, Andrew Bragg said the proposed legislation also sought to ban Cbus from access the Housing Australia Future Fund (HAFF) claiming that “the CFMEU still owns 21% of Cbus”.

“…even though the administrator has kicked three CFMEU officials off the Cbus board they still own a large portion of the fund and exercise significant control as an owner of 21 per cent of the organisation that owns the Cbus fund,” he said.

“The bill before the Senate would ban the Cbus organisation from accessing taxpayer funds through the government’s Housing Australia Future Fund. The reason that measure has been put forward by the coalition is we do not regard it as appropriate that the CFMEU should be allowed to use it surrogates, the Cbus super fund, to access taxpayer funds.”