The national workplace regulator endorses an independent inquiry into alleged criminal activities on Victoria’s Big Build projects. Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong told a Senate committee that residents deserve full transparency on these major infrastructure initiatives.
Support for Independent Investigation
Furlong backs integrity expert Geoffrey Watson’s assessment that CFMEU corruption may have inflated construction costs by 15 percent, potentially adding $15 billion to the landmark projects. He emphasized the need for accountability, stating, “Victorians have a right to know.”
During the Senate estimates hearing, Furlong addressed calls for a separate probe, noting it could address concerns about Watson’s report. “This issue won’t and shouldn’t go away without accountability,” he said. “It impacts every Victorian.”
Furlong confirmed the $15 billion estimate aligns with information from Victorian government officials, describing it as “within the range” of reported cost overruns up to 30 percent.
Details of the Corruption Report
Watson’s report, released this week, exposes drug trafficking, systemic corruption, bikie gang involvement, and sexual exploitation on taxpayer-funded sites backed by state and federal governments. Redacted sections criticize government inaction and highlight the massive cost blowout from corrupt practices.
The expert repeatedly calls for an inquiry with coercive powers to uncover the full extent of the wrongdoing, particularly on Big Build projects ramping up after 2014.
Premier Rejects Royal Commission
Premier Jacinta Allan expresses shock at the allegations but opposes a royal commission or coercive probe. She notes the CFMEU administrator redacted the cost figure as insufficiently verified.
Allan references a prior federal royal commission into unions from the early 2010s, which she says yielded no results despite broad powers and overlapping timelines. “It went for years and all that was an outcome of that was five failed criminal investigations,” she stated.
She prioritizes the federal administrator’s actions to remove bad actors, calling it immediate progress over prolonged inquiries. Allan declares zero tolerance for abuses like sexual exploitation and drug dealing, adding, “I am deeply sorry that it happened.” As former transport infrastructure minister, she claims she always forwarded complaints to authorities.
