By Bridget Vallence
The extent of unlawful conduct, abuse, intimidation and thuggery of the CFMEU on Victorian Government infrastructure projects has been exposed.
Shockingly, after ten years of the Andrews-Allan Labor Government, a gangster culture of bullying, standover tactics and corruption on State Government construction sites has been allowed to flourish.
Premier Jacinta Allan was the Minister responsible for ‘Big Build’ and major transport infrastructure projects dominated by CFMEU control and thuggery.
It’s hard to believe the Premier or anyone in her government was not aware of the corruption taking place.
The militant behaviour of the CFMEU is nothing new. Previous Royal Commissions recounted the many times the CFMEU has broken the law in order to coerce others to agree to their demands.
This resulted in a specialist regulator, known as the Australian Building Construction Commission, being established.
After being successful in more than 200 prosecutions and imposing over $15 million in penalties on the CFMEU, the Albanese Labor Government abolished the ABCC shortly after it was elected.
Allegations of kickbacks, misuse of public money, and criminal associations have been rife.
Only CFMEU ‘approved’ suppliers have been winning Victorian Government contracts despite their bid prices being double the cost of their competitors.
North-East Link, Melbourne Metro, and West Gate Tunnel projects have been disrupted, delayed and held to ransom by the CFMEU, drastically forcing up the cost of these projects.
In fact, Labor’s major construction projects are now $40 billion over budget.
These massive cost blowouts mean Victorians are paying the price: this money could have been spent on health, education, public housing or fixing dangerous roads.
The Labor Government has shown scant concern for the waste, instead increasing or adding 55 new taxes and cutting the state’s Health budget.
The behaviour exposed on Victorian construction projects is too serious to ignore.
A Royal Commission into the CFMEU’s conduct on Big Build projects must now be held to independently investigate the extent of the corruption and misuse of taxpayers’ money.
Victorian builders and workers have been bullied and stood over by CFMEU bosses for too long.
Victorian businesses have been shattered, and the mental wellbeing of many young workers damaged.
The Victorian Liberals have already announced the establishment of a new watchdog, known as Construction Enforcement Victoria, to enforce fair standards of conduct under a new Code of Practice for Victoria’s building industry.
Respect, fairness, transparency and accountability must replace corruption and thuggery.
Integrity in construction must be restored. Victorians deserve no less.
