Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspectors take stand at probe of construction industry union
Commissioner Stuart Wood AM KC returned to the big chair at the CFMEU inquiry today for three days of hearings after catching some suspicion on the Gold Coast last week.
For the first time in the investigation, the statements of witnesses from the government will be heard.
Four former Workplace Health and Safety Queensland chief inspectors will be taking over: David Cappelletti, Paul Watts, Noel Hayes and Deborah Dargon (currently operations manager).
It’s unclear exactly what the four were summoned for. But the inquiry has previously heard of flawed collusion between police and the state’s industrial relations office (first reported by this imprint) and links between the office and the union.
The inquest heard that link – a “close personal relationship” between former construction compliance and field services director Helen Burgess and the CFMEU’s former chief executive Royce Kupsch – meant the pair had the power to give orders to inspectors.
