Thousands of union members have downed tools, staging a major protest against the Albanese government's decision to place the CFMEU into administration due to alleged links to organised crime.

A sea of orange and yellow hi-vis in Carlton as thousands of CFMEU workers walk off the job @9NewsMelb pic.twitter.com/hVcOaYy9lO

— Tom Kelly (@tpwkelly) August 27, 2024

In Melbourne, the intersection of Lygon St and Victoria St outside Trades Hall became a focal point as construction workers filled the area, with hundreds more joining the demonstration from across the CBD. Similar rallies are occurring in Sydney and Brisbane.

Big trade union turnout for @CFMEU-based protests. pic.twitter.com/Nlc5FCAuMq

— Kevin Jones (@SafetyOz) August 27, 2024

The federal government recently passed a Bill that grants it the power to force the CFMEU, long accused of corruption and ties to organised crime, into administration following a deal secured with the Coalition.

The CFMEU has stolen over a billion dollars in Australia's largest wage theft case, exploiting the very workers it was meant to protect. CFMEU union bosses colluded in this theft, as confirmed by an independent report I commissioned called Coalminers' Wage Theft. An analysis of… pic.twitter.com/zGEnN0XxV3

— Malcolm Roberts 🇦🇺 (@MRobertsQLD) August 26, 2024

“If there is unprotected industrial action, then there are consequences for that,” Prime Minister Anthony Albanese warned.

Meanwhile, the Northern Territory election has shaken the Labor Party, with former Victorian Liberal Party president Michael Kroger stating Australians are now in “open revolt” against the Albanese government.

The Country Liberal Party's leader, Lia Finocchiaro, claimed victory, while outgoing Labor leader Eva Lawler lost her seat of Drysdale.

“Tonight's result is a victory for hope and opportunity for every single Territorian,” Finocchiaro said, emphasising her commitment to tackling crime in the region.

Kroger echoed this sentiment on The Bolt Report, declaring the election result “hugely significant” and pointing to a growing dissatisfaction with the direction of national politics under the Albanese government.