Site adviser forced to give up CFMEU fight

By the Editorial Team · Friday, October 9, 2026

Peter Cullen, a former CPB Contractors safety adviser, accused the company of abandoning him amid defamatory attacks by the CFMEU during the Cross River Rail project, which led to his halted defamation lawsuit after CPB withdrew financial support. The ongoing commission of inquiry into the CFMEU’s conduct and recent leadership changes raise hopes for accountability and potential apologies from both the union and CPB.

Peter Cullen, a former safety adviser for CPB Contractors, has accused the construction company of abandoning him amid intense personal attacks from the Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) during the Cross River Rail project in Brisbane. Cullen was the first safety adviser appointed by CPB on the taxpayer-funded infrastructure site in 2019.

According to Cullen’s testimony at a commission of inquiry investigating the union’s conduct, CFMEU officials began targeting him personally and publicly in mid-2020. The conflict followed Cullen’s involvement in an Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC) case against the CFMEU, for which he swore an affidavit. Three months after providing that affidavit, the CFMEU issued a Facebook statement falsely accusing Cullen of inappropriate behavior on site, alleging he was known as “Peeping Pete” for allegedly following officials into toilets to intimidate them. The union’s assistant state secretary at the time, Jade Ingham, also claimed Cullen obstructed union officials and government inspectors rather than focusing on safety enforcement.

Cullen denied the allegations, describing them as retaliatory and baseless. He said he struggled to understand why he was targeted instead of CPB Contractors or Cross River Rail itself, emphasizing that he was simply a safety adviser and not a prominent figure. Cullen stated that the defamatory social media post caused significant personal and professional harm, including ongoing negative attention in his community.

In response, Cullen initiated defamation proceedings against Ingham seeking an apology. CPB initially funded the legal case but withdrew financial support after a period, a move explained by general manager Vince Sanfilippo as a “business decision.” Without CPB’s backing, Cullen was unable to continue the lawsuit. He expressed disappointment at the outcome, noting that no apology has been issued by the CFMEU and that the ordeal led to extended mental health leave.

Cullen criticized CPB Contractors for what he described as withdrawing support when the dispute escalated and the CFMEU appeared to gain influence on the project. “They gave me support to a point, and then when it got too hard or it appeared that the union was getting a bigger stronghold on the project, they would rather side with the union opposed to siding with me,” Cullen said, characterizing his treatment as a significant letdown.

In 2024, Jade Ingham was removed from his leadership role after the CFMEU was placed into administration. Cullen expressed hope that both CPB and the current CFMEU administration might eventually offer apologies for the situation.

The commission of inquiry into the CFMEU’s actions on the Cross River Rail project is scheduled to resume later this month.

This article was reported by synthesizing coverage from multiple independent news outlets to present a balanced, unbiased account. Read about our editorial standards. Spotted an error? Let us know.