CFMEU changes tack: Inside controversial union’s new move

Sophie Foster

First published 12 February 2025, 12:16pm

The New Urban Villages Pty Ltd renders which formed part of the CFMEU application to Economic Development Qld for a seven storey office building. Picture: nettletontribe/Urbicus Pty Ltd/New Urban Villages Pty Ltd.

A powerful union that’s been at loggerheads with the Labor Party is changing tack, putting forward a multimillion-dollar plan to the LNP for approval.

The controversial Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Industrial Union of Employees has put forward an application to turn three lots just metres from its state headquarters into a new age income-earner.

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CFMEU members on strike… The union is changing its face to that of a developer, sinking millions into real estate projects. Picture: NewsWire / Luis Enrique Ascui

CFMEU’s plans for almost the entire block include an approved 30-storey build-to-rent tower and a proposed seven-storey office building. The union is located just across the road to the left of the image. Picture: nettletontribe/Urbicus Pty Ltd/New Urban Villages Pty Ltd.

The already approved 30-storey tower to the left of the block and the union’s other site which is now seeking development green light for a seven-storey office building. Picture: nettletontribe/Urbicus Pty Ltd/New Urban Villages Pty Ltd.

The union already has approval for a massive high-density build-to-rent 30-storey tower next to the site at 19-25 Campbell Street, Bowen Hills, in Brisbane – granted during the pandemic when the Labor Party was in power – and has now put forward a development application to transform another side of the block that it owns which currently houses small businesses at 8, 12 and 16 Jamieson Street, Bowen Hills.

The application for New Urban Villages Pty Ltd on behalf of CFMEU Qld was put forward by Mark Clayton of Urbicus Pty Ltd, seeking approval for a seven storey office building with 13 car parking spaces designed by Nettletontribe.

Renders of the New Urban Villages concept. Picture: nettletontribe/Urbicus Pty Ltd/New Urban Villages Pty Ltd.

The building is expected to have end of trip facilities for active commuters. Picture: nettletontribe/Urbicus Pty Ltd/New Urban Villages Pty Ltd.

Thousands of people walk and drive past this section of road up from the Bowen Hills train station as they travel to work. Picture: nettletontribe/Urbicus Pty Ltd/New Urban Villages Pty Ltd.

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CFMEU Qld’s head of finance Hemal Patel signed the landowner approval on behalf of the union.

The site is just 3km from Brisbane CBD, up the road from Bowen Hills Train Station, a couple of blocks from Brisbane Showgrounds, and sits beside a significantly larger development which has been approved for the area.

The move will make CFMEU one of the largest landowners within those few blocks, along with Queensland Rail and News Corp Australia.

The LNP took control of Queensland’s state planning arms when it won the 2024 election off Labor, with new premier David Crisafulli committed to ending some longstanding generous benefits that construction workers receive on worksites.