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Victorian premier asks Labor to suspend CFMEU from state branch
By Rachel Eddie and Broede Carmody
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has asked the Labor Party to suspend the CFMEU from the state branch and to bar all political donations from the construction division during this period.
Allan has also written to Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission to investigate the allegations made in a months-long investigation by The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, AFR and 60 Minutes. That investigation has uncovered unprecedented details of senior bikie figures and criminals being parachuted into lucrative union roles.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan speaks amid CFMEU scandal.Credit: Nine
In her first public remarks since former CFMEU Victorian branch secretary John Setka resigned on Friday night ahead of the publication, Allan said there was no place for “thuggish, bullying, intimidatory behaviour” in the state.
“What we have seen here in recent days isn’t unionism,” Allan said.
She said she would speak with the federal government and would consider toughening anti-bikie laws.
The CFMEU earlier put its Victorian branch into administration.
Among the revelations revealed by this masthead was a menacing nighttime visit by Setka to the family home of a fellow senior union official to dump a suitcase scrawled with a message attacking the official as a “dog”.
In another, an undercover sting operation caught a self-styled CFMEU fixer offering to bribe construction union officials to push corrupt building firms onto large taxpayer-funded projects.
CFMEU’s ‘rotten culture must be pulled out by its roots’: Jacinta Allan
By Rachel Eddie
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan said she would ask the federal government to use its powers under the Fair Work Act to review – and if necessary, terminate – CFMEU enterprise bargaining agreements on Victorian construction sites to prevent criminal activity.
“This rotten culture must be pulled out by its roots,” Allan said.
Victoria will also undertake an independent review to strengthen the power of state government agencies that rely on construction companies.
“We will also review the ability of Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA) to direct the removal of individuals with criminal associations from worksites.”
The Star switches off gaming machines amid performance issues
By Millie Muroi
Star Entertainment Group has switched off all electronic gaming machines and electronic table games after planned upgrades to its systems ran into performance issues.
In the latest blow to the embattled gambling and entertainment company, some of The Star’s systems were disrupted while being upgraded to prepare for the introduction of cashless gaming.
In an announcement to the ASX on Monday, The Star said the issues, identified in post-upgrade testing, “resulted in the decision to switch off all electronic gaming machines and electronic table games in each of [its] three properties” from 10pm on July 13.
Shares in the company tumbled 2.6 per cent to $0.5 a share about midday.
The machines and electronic tables will remain switched off until the issue is resolved, but The Star’s venues will remain open with table games, restaurants, bars and entertainment available, the company said.
“The decision was taken by The Star to ensure compliance with relevant regulations, and to maintain the company’s commitment to safer gambling procedures,” it said.
The news comes as The Star issued a sombre trading update last month as high rollers continue to avoid its three casinos and the costs associated with its regulatory compliance eat into its earnings.
The company has been subject to several probes and is awaiting a final report commissioned by the NSW Independent Casino Commission into whether its Pyrmont premises deserve its casino license.
The findings are due to be released on July 31.
Victorian premier asks Labor to suspend CFMEU from state branch
By Rachel Eddie and Broede Carmody
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has asked the Labor Party to suspend the CFMEU from the state branch and to bar all political donations from the construction division during this period.
Allan has also written to Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission to investigate the allegations made in a months-long investigation by The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, AFR and 60 Minutes. That investigation has uncovered unprecedented details of senior bikie figures and criminals being parachuted into lucrative union roles.
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan speaks amid CFMEU scandal.Credit: Nine
In her first public remarks since former CFMEU Victorian branch secretary John Setka resigned on Friday night ahead of the publication, Allan said there was no place for “thuggish, bullying, intimidatory behaviour” in the state.
“What we have seen here in recent days isn’t unionism,” Allan said.
She said she would speak with the federal government and would consider toughening anti-bikie laws.
The CFMEU earlier put its Victorian branch into administration.
Among the revelations revealed by this masthead was a menacing nighttime visit by Setka to the family home of a fellow senior union official to dump a suitcase scrawled with a message attacking the official as a “dog”.
In another, an undercover sting operation caught a self-styled CFMEU fixer offering to bribe construction union officials to push corrupt building firms onto large taxpayer-funded projects.
CFMEU boss says crisis talks had ‘tone of unity’
By Josefine Ganko
CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith has responded to ACTU secretary Sally McManus’ call for all leaders subject to criminal investigations to step down.
“I am still in the process of establishing what the investigative process will look like,” Smith said.
CFMEU national secretary Zach SmithCredit: Ben Searcy
“Like I say, it will have independence, it will be robust enough to deal with any and all allegations. Where appropriate we will look at asking officials to step down that are facing allegations, however I want to be clear at this stage we are still in the process of standing up process, standing up its terms of reference and collating all allegations.”
Smith says the union’s crisis talks were aimed at maintaining “business as usual” for branch members.
Asked on ABC’s News Breakfast what the tone of this morning’s meeting was, Smith said it was “one of unity”.
“One of wanting to ensure the union and in particular our Victoria and Tasmanian branch continues to do what they are doing for the members here in Victoria,” Smith said.
“That is, continuing to secure good pay conditions, continuing to stand up on issues like safety in the workplace, bearing in mind we are in one of Australia’s most dangerous industries.”
Watch: Victorian premier responds to CFMEU allegations
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan held a press conference after the Victorian branch of the CFMEU was placed into administration following reports of infiltration by bikies and organised criminals, intimidation and allegations of corruption.
Allan was joined by Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes.
Watch the presser here:
Government has shown ‘craven cowardice’ in handling of CFMEU: Liberal senator
By Josefine Ganko
Opposition industrial relations spokesperson Michaelia Cash has continued her attacks on Labor’s handling of the CFMEU, escalating her language in a post to X.
A months-long investigation by The Age, SMH, AFR and 60 Minutes into the union uncovered rife infiltration by bikies and organised criminals, intimidation and allegations of corruption.
Cash said the “government has shown craven cowardice and weakness” in its handling of the CFMEU, singling out the Albanese government’s abolition of the Australian Building and Construction Commission (ABCC).
Cash accused the prime minister of being “wilfully blind to [former Victorian secretary John Setka’s] militant actions for years”.
McManus says CFMEU can clean itself up
By Angus Thompson
ACTU secretary Sally McManus has backed CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith’s assertion that the union would be able to get its own house in order, after “credible allegations of wrongdoing” were levelled against the Victorian branch by The Age, SMH, AFR and 60 Minutes.
“We are wanting the CFMEU to take matters into their own hands to clean it up. Any outcome has to be measured against that,” she said.
CFMEU National Secretary Zach SmithCredit: Alex Ellinghausen
“I can assure you that I’ve spoken to every leader, national leader of the union movement and people are united in condemning any criminal behaviour within unions or anyone using our unions as their playground. We absolutely condemn that.”
McManus also disagreed with calls to bring back the Australian Building and Construction Commission, an agency abolished by the Albanese government in 2022 because Labor alleged it was preoccupied with prosecuting the CFMEU.
Deregistering CFMEU would be ‘counterproductive’, says ACTU secretary
By Angus Thompson
While Workplace Relations Minister Tony Burke considers deregistration of the CFMEU’s Victorian branch, ACTU secretary Sally McManus warns deregistering the union could be counterproductive.
McManus said there would always be criminality in the building industry.
ACTU secretary Sally McManus.Credit: Alex Ellinghausen
“We need a strong union in the building industry and a strong union that will stand up against this,” she told reporters.
“The idea of deregistration, I believe, would run counter to an outcome that would deliver a union that’s in the construction industry that’s functioning well, and that stands up to criminal elements,” McManus continued.
“I would say that we all need to be focused on having a union that is well-functioning, that keeps people safe. It looks after their wages and conditions.”
McManus calls on CFMEU to stand down leaders subject to criminal probes
By Angus Thompson
ACTU head Sally McManus has called on the CFMEU’s national leadership to stand down all union officials who are subject to criminal allegations.
“The ACTU calls on the national leadership at the CFMEU to stand down those subject to criminal allegations whilst investigations occur, including relevant police investigations,” McManus told a press conference this morning.
“We also call on the CFMEU, to take all necessary steps to rid the union of any and all criminal elements.”
McManus said the ACTU executive would meet later this week to consider the CFMEU’s response to the union peak body’s calls.
‘I stand by Derek’: CFMEU boss backs Setka’s replacement despite police probe
By Madeleine Heffernan
CFMEU national secretary Zach Smith says he stands by Derek Christopher, the Victorian CFMEU boss positioned to replace John Setka.
Smith also said the union’s decision to put its Victorian branch into administration was not an admission of criminality and defended the integrity of the union’s planned investigation into the troubled branch.
Derek Christopher.Credit: Luis Enrique Ascui
“I’ve read the allegations, like your listeners have. I watched last night’s [60 Minutes] segment. They are allegations,” Smith told Melbourne radio station 3AW on Monday morning.
“People are entitled to procedural fairness. A proper process will be conducted, a process independent and robust enough to deal with all these allegations. But I can’t, and I won’t, just hang people on mere media speculation alone.”
Setka resigned on Friday ahead of the publication of a months-long investigation by The Age, Sydney Morning Herald, AFR and 60 Minutes, which uncovered unprecedented details of senior bikie figures and criminals being parachuted into lucrative union roles.
The reporting revealed that Christopher, the Victorian CFMEU boss positioned to replace Setka as leader of the union’s most powerful branch, received an estimated $200,000 in free labour and supplies from major building companies and remains the subject of an ongoing police corruption probe.
Smith said the allegations against Christopher were first made six years ago and no charges had been brought against him or anybody else. He said the union conducted its own investigation and found no wrongdoing.
“The union and Derek have fully co-operated with any requests from police, and information that was in possession of the union was turned over to police. They, too, haven’t initiated any charges against Derek,” he said.
“I stand by Derek. And I stand by the process and the integrity of ... that outcome.”
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2024-07-15 01:09:11Z
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