Madonna King writes in the Brisbane Times (29.1.15): ‘If Campbell Newman was really worried about any links between the CFMEU and bikies, why would he appoint the union’s boss to a plum board position? And not any union boss, but a union chief that the counsel assisting the royal commission into trade unions Jeremy Stoljar, SC, has since submitted should face criminal charges. David Hanna is a bigwig in the CFMEU; the same union Campbell Newman worries is funnelling bikie money through to the ALP. …
‘But Google also reveals a rank hypocrisy in the premier’s argument. It shows Mr Hanna – the CFMEU boss – is a government appointee on the Board of Directors of Construction Skills Queensland.
‘The appointment of Mr Hanna – who less than a year ago was planning a campaign to ensure the Newman Government only served one term in office – was understood to have been made in September last year. CSQ said all spokesmen were away for the rest of the week, and they could not confirm further details of his appointment. It is a three-year term. …
‘So back to Google. What did the counsel assisting the royal commission into trade unions Jeremy Stoljar, SC, submit about Mr Hanna – the Newman Government’s choice for a plum directorship – just a month after his appointment?
‘He submitted that Mr Hanna had committed crimes under s 359 of the Criminal Code (Qld) over threats made during the construction of a 14-floor apartment building called Brooklyn on Brookes in Fortitude Valley in Brisbane.’