Bureaucrat breaks down in tears at Queensland CFMEU misconduct inquiry

Bureaucrat breaks down recounting alleged abuse at Queensland CFMEU misconduct inquiry Tue 9 Jun 2026 at 1:35pm A high-ranking bureaucrat has broken down in tears while recounting alleged abuse involving ousted CFMEU boss Michael Ravbar, at an inquiry into the union. The commission of inquiry into alleged union misconduct and criminal links in Queensland is holding its tenth block of public hearings in Brisbane. Office of Industrial Relations (OIR) senior executive Andrea Fox told the hearing Mr Ravbar verbally berated and threatened her during a 2018 meeting at the CFMEU's headquarters in Bowen Hills. "Immediately, he was very, very angry … I think he started with the line: 'You have some gall coming here,"Ms Fox said. "He told me: 'We should have you physically dragged out of here and thrown out of this building.' "It just got more and more intense and really spiteful … he was saying: 'People like you disgust me' … it was really rage-filled. He was incredibly furious with me." Ms Fox broke down again as she described fearing Mr Ravbar would physically assault her. Loading..."It felt like he wanted me to cry or beg for mercy," Ms Fox said. "I thought maybe he would lose control of his temper and punch me or grab me and shake me. "I was prepared to get under the table." She told the inquiry former CFMEU president Royce Kupsh was also present but stayed silent. The inquiry heard it was the first time Ms Fox had met Mr Ravbar and she was not aware what she had done to upset him. She said she required professional counselling after the incident. "The thing about Mr Ravbar is [while he has] out-of-control rage … I also knew him to be very powerful," she said. Allegations union 'captured' state regulator Counsel assisting Dimitri Ternovski said Tuesday's hearing would focus on the militant union's alleged "capture" of the state's workplace health and safety regulator as it tried to "advance its industrial agenda." He said the inquiry would also hear evidence this week that the union had captured the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC). "Not only was [former CFMEU leader Jade] Ingham appointed to the QBCC board in 2018 but it appears the commissioner himself [Brett Bassett] was captured," Mr Ternovski said. The inquiry continues.