The assistant secretary of the CFMEU’s New South Wales branch, Michael Greenfield has resigned as corruption allegations continue to swirl around the union.
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00:00Michael Greenfeld has released a statement yesterday detailing some of his reasons for
00:06stepping down from his role at the CFMEU.
00:09That includes, quote, weeks of sensationalised media reporting and relentless government
00:14scrutiny.
00:15He says that's placed pressure on his family, so he'll be stepping away in order to protect
00:19them.
00:20Michael Greenfeld, of course, is the son of the CFMEU's boss here in New South Wales,
00:24Darren Greenfeld.
00:26And they've been under intense scrutiny after nine newspapers' investigation detailed a
00:30number of allegations about the union, including here in New South Wales, allegations of thousands
00:35of dollars in cash being handed over in order to shore up union support.
00:39Michael Greenfeld has always maintained his innocence when it comes to those bribery allegations.
00:44He says they've been inflated and agitated and undermined his right to presumed innocence.
00:50This is a fraught time for the union.
00:52This week, the ABC has obtained footage from a Brisbane worksite looking at some of those
00:57abusive tactics undertaken by the union.
01:00One former contractor who now works in the mental health space has also detailed his
01:04experiences of assault, threats and abuse, being told by workers that they would end
01:10his career if he spoke to regulators.
01:13New South Wales Premier Chris Mins has also put pressure on both Greenfeld men to step
01:18down.
01:19There's been massive scrutiny on both of them at both the state and federal level.
01:22We heard a bit earlier today from the Federal Workplace Relations Minister, Murray Watt.
01:27He said he'd like to see Darren Greenfeld step down as well.
01:30Here he is speaking a little bit earlier about the changes he'd like to see at the union.
01:35If our scheme of administration can be appointed through this legislation, then it would enable
01:39a much wider reform of the CFMEU construction division and remove a number of office bearers
01:46and officials from the union who have been causing trouble and criminality and violence
01:50and thuggery for far too long.
01:53The federal government is introducing laws this week in order to appoint an administrator
01:57to the union after it failed to do so in time.
02:00We've also heard from Greens Sarah Hanson-Young who says that she's keen to see change at
02:05the union, however wants to see the laws properly debated first.