The High Court of Australia has unanimously dismissed a legal challenge by former CFMEU officials against the federal government's takeover of the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) construction division. The government’s intervention, initiated in August 2024 following allegations of infiltration by outlaw motorcycle gangs, bullying, corruption, and criminal conduct, resulted in the union being placed into administration, removing 270 volunteer officers and 11 paid staff. The union argued that the laws enabling this move were unconstitutional, infringed on implied political freedoms, and involved property acquisition without just terms. However, the High Court ruled that the law was valid, citing the union’s status as a trading organization under the Constitution and dismissing claims of punitive action or breaches of rights. The decision clears the way for ongoing reforms aimed at removing criminal influence from the union and restoring its democratic structure. The union’s administrator, Mark Irving KC, welcomed the ruling, emphasizing efforts to return the union to its members as a democratic, corruption-free organization. The federal government and industrial relations minister Amanda Rishworth expressed support for the decision, reaffirming the need for a union free from criminality to protect construction workers.