The CFMEU has been placed into administration after explosive allegations ignited months of political debate on ways to reign in the embattled union.

Laws giving the relevant minister powers to intervene and slap life bans on officials passed the parliament on Tuesday after the government struck a deal with the Coalition.

And on Friday, Attorney-General Mark Dreyfus placed the union’s construction and general divisions into administration, alongside all of its state and territory branches.

The administration process is effective immediately.

It applies nationwide, including to the Western Australia and ACT branches, despite earlier suggestions they would be omitted.

The move terminates the employment of more than 270 paid union officials and vacates the roles of elected members.

Melbourne silk Mark Irving KC has been given the job of administering the CFMEU. He will work with Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong.

The pair will collaborate to ensure the disgraced construction and general divisions can effectively operate in the future.

“I am committed to ensuring the success of this arrangement and advancing the lawful operations of the construction and general division for the benefit of its members, the broader CFMEU and the Australian community,” Furlong said.

Furlong will help hold the CFMEU officials accountable, promote the union’s efficient management, embed the CFMEU with a culture of good governance and compliance with the law and take any enforcement actions when necessary.

The government’s move follows allegations of corruption and bikie infiltration within the CFMEU.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said he wanted to stamp out corruption in the building industry.

“We know that trade unionists do a great job when they look after the wages and conditions of their members, but there’s no place for corruption or intimidation in the building industry,” he said on Friday.

“To have a corrupt union, you need a corrupt employer to be paying them money and there’s no place for it.”

However, the union has slammed the law as taking away members’ rights to a fair process and has signalled an impending court challenge.

CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith has previously said the criminal allegations remain untested.

The administration period can last up to five years under the law. Officials found guilty of crimes would be banned for life and unable to become bargaining agents at other registered organisations without holding a fit-and-proper-person certificate.

-with AAP