THE ALLEGATIONS BY NINE NEWSPAPERS
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* Bikies and criminals are acting as CFMEU delegates on federal and state government-funded projects
* Victorian CFMEU boss John Setka corresponded with Melbourne underworld figure Mick Gatto
* A business consultant was recorded claiming he could funnel cash and kickbacks to associates in the CFMEU
* Federal and state police are investigating whether a senior Victorian CFMEU official personally benefited from labour and supplies
* NSW CFMEU secretary Darren Greenfield was charged in relation to taking a bribe from a Sydney company in return for union support
THE MAIN PLAYERS
* Head of the union's Victorian branch John Setka resigned on Friday after 12 years in the role, citing "malicious attacks" and "ongoing false allegations"
* National secretary Zach Smith says the CFMEU has zero tolerance for criminality, with the national executive placing the Victorian branch in administration
* Australian Council of Trade Unions national secretary Sally McManus wants individuals accused of criminal behaviour to stand down
* Prime Minister Anthony Albanese removed Mr Setka from the ALP in 2019 when opposition leader and has welcomed his decision to step down
* Industrial Relations Minister Tony Burke has the power to deregister the union over the allegations
* Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan says the union's "rotten" culture must be uprooted and has asked federal Labor to suspend the construction arm of the CFMEU from the Victorian Labor Party
* NSW Premier Chris Minns says there is no room for criminality in the construction sector and CFMEU donations won't be accepted by his state's party, apart from affiliation fees
IS SUCH SCRUTINY UNPRECEDENTED?
* No. In 2015, a federal royal commission found there were thugs and bullies in unions across Australia and misconduct in every jurisdiction except the Northern Territory
* Former High Court judge Dyson Heydon referred six CFMEU officials to prosecutors
* The final report made 79 recommendations, including banning union officials convicted of an offence with a jail term of five plus years
WHAT'S NEXT?
* A law firm will investigate the allegations but Mr Albanese says "further action" is needed
* Mr Burke says all options must be on the table, including deregistration
* Ms Allan has referred allegations to Victoria Police and the state's Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission
* Victorian anti-bikie laws will be changed to lower the threshold for police to issue unlawful association notices to serious criminals
* An independent review will strengthen the powers of Victorian agencies that deal with construction companies and unions
* Victoria is requesting the Commonwealth review and possibly terminate CFMEU enterprise bargaining agreements on state project sites
* The Victorian Labor state secretary has been asked to not accept political donations from the CFMEU.
Australian Associated Press