Ex-union boss fronts Qld court

BRISBANE, March 7 AAP - Former Queensland CFMEU boss David Hanna has fronted court after allegedly raising his middle finger, swearing and spraying water on managers of a Brisbane construction site.

Hanna is accused of making the gesture when asked to provide right-of-entry permits for a Fortitude Valley site in February last year and telling a manager who then tried to record him on a mobile phone: "Take that phone away or I'll f***ing bury it down your throat."

He appeared in Brisbane's Federal Circuit Court on Monday where the matter was directed to mediation and to return to court on July 18 if unresolved.

Outside court, Hanna described the situation as bizarre and said it was still in its very early stages.

"I'm an unemployed, ex-union official," he said.

He said the bigger issue was safety on the Broadway on Ann development, claiming a worker had died on the site.

"But nothing's happened about the fatality on that job ... I guess (you) put things in perspective," he said.

Asked if he denied the allegations, Hanna said he was yet to see any of the evidence levelled against him by the Fair Work Building Inspectorate.

The CFMEU is also a party in the matter.