Fiery moment Karl Stefanovic unloads at CFMEU boss over corruption allegations: ‘It defies belief’

Karl Stefanovic has criticised a construction union leader in a heated interview on live television, accusing him of trying to “cover up” the organisation’s “alleged corruption”.

In a heated exchange on Tuesday morning, the Today presenter took on Zach Smith, national secretary of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU).

“How long have you been hiding the alleged corruption of your union?” he asked Mr. Smith.

The organisation’s Victorian branch has faced persistent allegations of intimidation, union violence and the use of bikies and people with links to organised crime on government-funded construction sites, a Nine Media investigation has found.

Former Victorian state secretary John Setka also resigned on Friday but denied the allegations, saying the “vicious attacks” did nothing but “damage the work this great union does for its members”.

However, Mr Smith continued to insist that the “union did not cover anything up” and that there was “no place for criminality in our union”.

He also said the CFMEU had placed its Victoria facility into administration and appointed an independent investigator to investigate the allegations.

However, Stefanovic shot back, saying: “So basically you’re taking the ‘I don’t know anything’ defence. It defies all imagination.”

Smith then accused Stefanovic of “putting words in my mouth” and said the union needed procedures that “guarantee people the presumption of innocence and procedural fairness.”

“That is not an accurate representation of what I said,” Mr Smith added.

Further explosive claims published by Nine Media on Tuesday revealed that both then-Victoria Deputy Premier Jacinta Allan and Premier Anthony Albanese received letters detailing alleged violence and intimidation by the CFMEU in 2022.

The indigenous employment firm’s allegations also detailed incidents in which officials barred non-union companies from participating in major construction projects at the state and federal levels.

Nine newspapers reported that Albanese’s office did not respond to the letter. Ms. Allan, however, did not respond for a year and referred the allegations to the federal government.

Pressure is mounting on Labour to end political donations from the CFMEU, with Ms Allan even announcing a ban.

The CFMEU faces allegations of intimidation, union violence and the use of motorcyclists and people with links to organised crime in government workplaces (Mr Smith pictured)

Defence Industry Minister Pat Conroy said the Australian Labor Party executive would discuss the measure, as well as further sanctions against the CFMEU, at a meeting scheduled for Wednesday.

Only in Victoria has the union been suspended by the ALP, while South Australian Premier Peter Malinauskas is reportedly calling for similar measures in his state.

“That is a matter for the party and of course it will be considered in due course,” Conroy said.

“What I’m focused on … is what we can do as a federal government to stamp out the kind of behaviour that’s been reported. That’s why (Industrial Relations Minister) Tony Burke has asked his department for options and all options are on the table, up to and including deregistering the union.”