Security contractor says CFMEU-linked surveillance campaign escalated to poisoned dog, drone sightings
A Brisbane security executive told a Queensland inquiry on Tuesday that a dispute linked to the CFMEU turned personal fast: a tracking device was found
A Brisbane security executive told a Queensland inquiry on Tuesday that a dispute linked to the CFMEU turned personal fast: a tracking device was found on his car, an ex-police officer followed him, drones hovered over his home and his dog was poisoned.
Grant Killen, managing director of Concentric Concepts, said the pressure became so intense he stopped providing security for BMD’s Centenary Bridge upgrade after only a few weeks. He told the inquiry he feared for the safety of his family and his business. The hearing is part of a broader investigation into allegations of intimidation and spying during a long-running fight between the construction giant and the union.
Inquiry hears spying claims
The Queensland Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU heard allegations that the union hired private detectives to watch security contractors involved in the dispute. Killen said he had been engaged by BMD to protect executives and help with the bridge project, where there were concerns that repeated CFMEU activity could disrupt work.
Then things turned. A device was found attached to his vehicle. He said an ex-cop, hired by the union, shadowed him. At home, drones appeared overhead. One of his dogs was later poisoned. The account was part of a fresh block of hearings that is scheduled to run until Thursday, before the inquiry resumes in October.
Pressure beyond the worksite
The allegations point to a fight that left the site and reached into private lives. Security staff were not the only targets, according to evidence heard by the inquiry. BMD executives, Killen said, also had their dogs poisoned in separate incidents.
That detail landed hard in the hearing room. So did the technology. Tracking tags, drones, private detectives — a mix that shows how industrial disputes can now spill into digital surveillance and physical harassment. It is a stark shift from the old picket-line image.
For construction firms, the stakes go well beyond a single project. If security contractors pull out, sites can be left exposed, executives less willing to move freely, and work can slow under the pressure. Killen said he walked away from the Centenary Bridge job because he could not ignore the risks at home.
The inquiry is set to hear more before this round ends on Thursday. The next phase will wait until October.
