Queensland builder Susan Menso accuses CFMEU and government department of bullying

Melanie Petrinec, The Courier-Mail
January 6, 2017 10:00pm

ONE of Queensland’s top ­female builders – who is facing two safety-related prosecutions – is accusing the CFMEU and a State Government department of bullying and harassment as she threatens to take her multimillion-dollar empire offshore.

Susan Menso, who says she built $20 million worth of Brisbane projects this past year, is fighting the Construction Forestry Mining and Energy Union in the Federal Circuit Court after it lodged a claim ­alleging she would not allow officials to investigate an allegedly unsafe worksite.

It is alleged Ms Menso initially refused to let CFMEU officials on to a South Brisbane boutique hotel worksite in December 2015 to inspect suspected safety breaches, including accusations there was only one toilet for eight floors, no fire extinguishers and no emergency exits.

But Ms Menso claims she has been “bullied and harassed” by the militant union and while she will fight allegations that her actions breached the Fair Work Act, the battle is taking its toll.

“I’m on blood-pressure tablets and everything now,” she said. “I’m taking my money overseas. Why would I want to be the richest person in the graveyard?”

The CFMEU claims it had a right to inspect Ms Menso’s South Brisbane project under the Fair Work Act and a WPHSQ spokesman said two safety-related prosecutions were scheduled against the builder-developer later this year, with another investigation ongoing.

It is alleged Ms Menso “stood between (the union organisers) and the entry to the site” and only let them pass after WHSQ and a policeman were called.

According to court documents, officials suspected there was only one water cooler and one toilet for eight floors, no fire extinguishers or emergency exit signs, no first aid box, no lunch room and numerous “fall from height risks”.

In an affidavit filed in her defence, Ms Menso said she was scared to let the men on to the site as she had been “pushed and bullied before by other CFMEU officers”, including official Justin Steele who was charged with assaulting her in May 2015, and denied the ­allegation. The affidavit alleges Workplace Health and Safety Queensland bullied her into withdrawing her complaint against Mr Steele, which resulted in prosecutors dropping the charges.

“I am a non-union site and have been bullied and harassed by the CFMEU and BLF (Builders’ Labourers Federation)”, Ms Menso said in her affidavit.

“After I charged him (Mr Steele) for assault, I was harassed and bullied by WPHSQ until I dropped the charges. This is also another reason why I didn’t want the two CFMEU officers (to) come on site as I was scared of being pushed/hit again.”

The department also confirmed she made a complaint about the alleged bullying and harassment and it had been “investigated in accordance with OIR (Office of Industrial Relations) procedures”.

The case will go to trial later this year.