Pauline Hanson Mocks Prime Minister Albanese After He Publicly Supports the Handling of the Corruption Scandal at CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Mining, Energy and Engineering Union) by the Victorian Labor Government: “Do You Really Support It or Do You Just Want to Protect the Link with the Donation Money from the Unions? Tell the Truth, It’s Ridiculous”
In a scathing attack that has ignited fresh controversy across Australia, One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has openly mocked Prime Minister Anthony Albanese—affectionately dubbed “Albo” by his supporters but derided as a union puppet by critics—for his public endorsement of the Victorian Labor government’s handling of the explosive CFMEU corruption scandal. Hanson’s biting remarks, delivered in a fiery Senate speech on February 16, 2026, cut to the heart of what many see as a deepening crisis for the Labor Party: a desperate bid to shield powerful union allies at the expense of taxpayers.
“Do you really support it, Albo, or do you just want to protect the link with the donation money from the unions? Tell the truth—it’s ridiculous,” Hanson declared, her words echoing through Parliament House and amplifying calls for accountability amid allegations of billions in wasted public funds.
The scandal, which has dominated headlines since mid-2024, centers on the Construction, Forestry, Mining, Energy and Engineering Union (CFMEU)’s Victorian branch, accused of systemic corruption including bribery, extortion, links to bikie gangs, drug-fueled excesses, and the funneling of taxpayer dollars into illicit activities. A damning report by renowned anti-corruption barrister Geoffrey Watson SC, commissioned as part of a federal administration process, laid bare the rot within the union.
Released in redacted form last week, the document originally estimated that CFMEU misconduct had cost Victorian taxpayers at least $15 billion—equivalent to inflated costs on the state’s “Big Build” infrastructure program, where union delegates allegedly strong-armed contractors, delayed projects, and extracted kickbacks.
Watson’s unredacted findings, leaked to media outlets including The Age and Brisbane Times, painted a picture of “eight factors that wrecked the CFMEU,” including the union’s contempt for the law, its takeover of civil construction sites, and crucially, government inaction. The report explicitly criticized the Victorian Labor government under Premier Jacinta Allan for turning a blind eye to union malpractice, allowing a “rapid increase in money” under Big Build contracts to fuel corruption.
Sections exploring how union delegates were appointed—often through opaque, favoritism-ridden processes—and the government’s alleged complicity were excised at the eleventh hour on orders from CFMEU administrator Mark Irving. Watson himself testified before a Queensland Commission of Inquiry on February 11, 2026, admitting he was “quite angry” about the censorship, describing the removals as unjustified and speculative. “It was like saying the sun will come up tomorrow—that’s not speculation; it’s based on evidence,” Watson fumed, though he paradoxically backed Irving to stay in his role.
Albanese’s endorsement came during a press conference in Canberra on February 15, 2026, where he praised Allan’s “decisive action” in referring allegations to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) back in July 2024. “The Victorian government is acting responsibly to root out rogue elements,” Albanese stated, emphasizing federal Labor’s appointment of Irving as administrator and the referral of untested allegations to police and regulators. Critics, however, view this as a smokescreen. IBAC swiftly rejected Allan’s referral as outside its jurisdiction, prompting opposition leaders to file their own.
Fair Work Commission chief Murray Furlong and Watson himself have joined calls for a full royal commission with coercive powers—demands repeatedly dismissed by Allan, who insists her government only learned of “systematic issues” in mid-2024 despite years of whispers about CFMEU thuggery.
Hanson’s mockery strikes at the core of Labor’s vulnerability: its inextricable ties to unions. The CFMEU has been a major donor to federal Labor, contributing over $50,000 in the 2023-24 financial year alone, according to Australian Electoral Commission disclosures. This follows a pattern; unions poured millions into Labor coffers during the 2022 election, helping secure Albanese’s victory. In return, critics argue, Albanese’s government abolished the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) in 2022—a watchdog body established to combat union misconduct in the construction sector. “Albo bears a share of the blame,” Hanson thundered in her speech.
“His government scrapped the ABCC, protecting these thugs and criminals while everyday Australians foot the bill. It’s a rotten party, through and through.”
The Labor Party’s desperation is palpable. Facing plummeting polls—One Nation’s primary vote has surged to draw level with the Coalition, per recent Newspoll data—the party is accused of orchestrating a cover-up. Watson’s report redactions, ordered just hours after initial leaks, removed explosive claims that the Victorian government “turned a blind eye” to union abuses, allowing billions in taxpayer funds to evaporate into inflated contracts, bribes, and even “strippers and drug-fueled parties,” as alleged in related inquiries.
The $15 billion figure, if accurate, represents a staggering debt burden: equivalent to funding multiple hospitals or schools, it will saddle generations with interest payments on borrowed money. “Don’t ever forget that $15 billion in Labor borrowings—you, your kids, your grandkids will be paying the interest!” Hanson warned, channeling public outrage over cost-of-living pressures amid record infrastructure overruns.
Former Victorian Premier Jeff Kennett, a vocal critic, has urged conservatives to preference One Nation in upcoming elections to oust the “corrupt” Allan government, citing CFMEU favoritism as emblematic of Labor’s neglect. “It’s evidence of a government that’s lost its way,” Kennett said, pointing to ageing emergency fleets and underpaid teachers as further failures. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson echoed this, demanding Allan answer for the report’s accusations: “She cannot continue to deny knowledge or fail to take responsibility.”
Albanese’s defense rings hollow to many. His government’s reforms to the National Disability Insurance Scheme and tax cuts have been touted as pro-worker, but the CFMEU saga exposes a darker side: a party beholden to union bosses, willing to sacrifice transparency for loyalty. Queensland’s inquiry, launched after exposés on CFMEU criminality, has heard testimony of “ad hoc corruption or bribery” in the union’s ranks, with Watson dismissing denials from CFMEU officials as unconvincing. Federal Opposition Leader Peter Dutton has called for Irving’s sacking, labeling the redactions “ridiculous” and demanding a national probe.
This isn’t Labor’s first brush with union scandals. The CFMEU’s history includes ousted leaders like John Setka and Joe Myles, linked to gangland figures such as Mick Gatto. Yet, under Albanese, federal oversight has softened, with the ABCC’s dissolution seen as a gift to militant unions. Taxpayers, already reeling from inflation and housing crises, now face the prospect of funding Labor’s blind spots. The $15 billion hole in Victoria’s budget—driven by CFMEU-inflated costs on projects like the West Gate Tunnel and Suburban Rail Loop—will require higher taxes or cuts to services, hitting families hardest.
Hanson’s jibe resonates because it taps into a broader disillusionment. Former Labor voters, frustrated with corruption, are flocking to One Nation, as evidenced by surging support in polls. “The Labor Party is falling into a desperate situation,” Hanson proclaimed. “They’re accused of trying to cover up this huge damage—$15 billion caused by CFMEU corruption. And Geoffrey Watson’s full report shocks the nation: Albo only protects union interests, not taxpayers. That debt gets taxed back onto the people—a rotten party!”
As the Queensland inquiry continues and pressure mounts for a royal commission, Albanese’s leadership faces a reckoning. His support for Victoria’s handling—framed as solidarity—smacks of self-preservation, shielding donors while Australians pay the price. Watson’s uncensored truths demand action, not platitudes. If Labor persists in this denial, the electorate may deliver a verdict far harsher than Hanson’s mockery: a wipeout at the polls, where the real cost of union cronyism becomes electoral oblivion.
