July 14, 2026 — 1:02pmThe former boss of Queensland’s peak building industry body attempted suicide after thousands of union members marched to his workplace with a coffin and a Grim Reaper figure among their number.Grant Galvin, the chief executive at Master Builders Queensland from 2013 to 2022, was called to provide evidence at the state government’s commission of inquiry into the actions of the militant CFMEU on Tuesday.Galvin told the inquiry he was the target of CFMEU angst from 2017 until he resigned from the position, with most of the anger deriving from his position on the board of a small superannuation fund with CFMEU employees.A man dressed as the Grim Reaper at a CFMEU rally in Brisbane in 2022.Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction IndustryWhen he joined the Building Unions Superannuation Scheme Queensland (BUSSQ) in 2014, the six-person board consisted of three Master Builders-appointed members and three from the CFMEU.Galvin said a CFMEU representative, Wallace Trohear, had been a “voice of reason” when he was on the board, but Trohear retired in 2019.From then, CFMEU appointees Paula Masters, Jacqui Collie and later Emma Eaves began having to run decisions past then-union secretary Michael Ravbar, which Galvin said worried him.Grant Galvin gives evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday. Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and Misconduct in the Construction IndustryRavbar ran the CFMEU in Queensland for the better part of 20 years, and his allegedly threatening and aggressive tactics have been at the centre of the commission of inquiry.“By late 2020 onwards, Ms Masters and Ms Collie became increasingly more vocal at times about needing to run things by Mr Ravbar before making a decision on the board,” Galvin said in his submission to the inquiry.But under cross-examination by Ravbar’s lawyer, Galvin said he could not prove the directors were talking to Ravbar about board business.Former CFMEU Queensland secretary Michael Ravbar.Tony MooreHe said in the following year the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) had asked for evaluation of the capability of the board, and consulting firm Deloitte was brought in to write a report.Deloitte handed in a draft report after speaking to all board members, which he found appropriately harsh on board chair Masters, but when the final report was handed to BUSSQ in 2021, the remarks about Masters had been toned down.At the time the BUSSQ board was considering merging with a larger super fund, which Galvin said the union was staunchly against.He said he took his concerns to the BUSSQ remuneration committee, and later APRA.Shortly after he wrote to APRA, Galvin said he received a call from an “apoplectic” Ravbar.“That’s when I knew becoming a whistleblower at APRA was a poor decision on my behalf … I could not believe that several days after this I was getting a call from Ravbar,” he told the inquiry.Galvin said the union then tried to appoint Ravbar to the BUSSQ board. He said he told the board that appointment should be subject to the fit-and-proper director test.Following that suggestion, Galvin said he received another call from Ravbar, which was followed by calls from major building firms asking him to settle any beef with Ravbar as it was causing issues on sites around the state.Galvin resigned from the board in October 2021. In January 2022, all three Master Builders-appointed members followed him out, leaving it unable to function, which led to significant pressure from Ravbar, his deputy Jade Ingham and major builders to reform the board and nix any merger, Galvin told the inquiry.Ravbar was appointed to the BUSSQ board in November, and remained a director until he was removed by the CFMEU administrator in 2024.Galvin demonstrating the actions of CFMEU marchers at another rally outside his workplace, in 2017.AAPIMAGEA letter tendered to the inquiry from APRA to Masters expressed concern that APRA had not been consulted before Ravbar and Madeline Dermatossian – who replaced Galvin – were appointed.The letter also called for BUSSQ to set out a timely plan to replace Masters as chair, and noted the Deloitte report had stated the board should consider whether she was appropriate for the role.In February, thousands of CFMEU members marched on the Master Builders headquarters in Spring Hill, chanting Galvin’s name, calling him a grub, with one marcher dressed as the Grim Reaper and another carrying a coffin.Galvin stood inside with riot police and a small team of executives, having told a bulk of staff not to come in to work.“The coffin was right outside my office window, where I was sitting with the police,” Galvin said, becoming emotional.He compared the experience to boiling a frog, with the pressure from the union building over time.Galvin said he suffered a mental breakdown and attempted to take his own life.“You don’t actually realise the impact until it happens. I’m lucky I’m here today,” he said.He resigned from his position shortly after the rally.The commission of inquiry continues.If you, or someone you know, needs support you can call Lifeline on 13 11 14 or Beyond Blue on 1300 224 636.Start the day with a summary of the day’s most important and interesting stories, analysis and insights. Sign up for our Morning Edition newsletter.More:Building BadCFMEUQueensland governmentBrisbaneFrom our partners