Federal government paid $3.8m in personal protection for then CFMEU administrator

The federal government has paid millions of dollars in personal protection for the administrators of the CFMEU, and had to organise security for minister Murray Watt after he introduced the legislation that placed the union into administration, it has been revealed. Under questioning from Liberal senator Jane Hume in the Senate committee on education and employment legislation, it was revealed that the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) has paid millions of dollars to keep the administrators safe. About $3.8m was paid in personal protection for former administrator Mark Irving, who spent 20 months in the role, during which time he fired hundreds of people and was subjected to death threats. The portfolio budget statements also reveal $5.3m has been set aside over two years to “provide personal protective security” to protect Irving’s successor, the union executive Michael Crosby. Crosby, who previously served as the union’s New South Wales executive officer, was appointed as administrator last month. Watt, now the minister for the environment and water, also needed personal security after sending the CFMEU into administration. Hume asked the former minister for employment and workplace relations if he also had personal security, with Watt answering, “I did for a period of time, yeah.” “I’m not sure that it’s wise for anyone to talk about what security arrangements,” he said. …