Sign Up
..... Connect Australia with the world.
Categories

Posted: 2024-08-30 00:03:26

A government-ordered investigation into Victoria's embattled construction sector has found workers are reluctant to blow the whistle on the industry due to "fear of reprisal".

Former department of justice secretary Greg Wilson's probe has also found government powers could be strengthened to respond to unlawful conduct on job sites.

The 50-page report is an interim review, delivered less than a month after Premier Jacinta Allan announced the investigation.

The full report is due to be handed down later in the year and is expected to include more specific recommendations on how to clean up the construction sector.

The review was commissioned after media reports aired claims of bullying and stand-over tactics within the construction branch of the CFMEU on job sites.

The reports also alleged some members had been given plum posts due to their underworld connections.

A black sign with 'CFMEU Victoria' written on it, hanging on a construction site.

All branches of the CFMEU's construction arm have been placed into administration.  (AAP: Joel Carrett)

Victoria's construction sector was alleged to be the most targeted by corrupt activity. Currently, the state is either planning or currently engaged in building 18 projects costing $1 billion or more.

Mr Wilson wrote in the report that the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA) can remove people from job sites but rarely exercises its power.

The report was released just moments before Ms Allan began a press conference in her home town of Bendigo.

"I made a commitment to release the report which is exactly what we've done," she said.

"Mr Wilson has identified four key areas where he will be undertaking further consultation as to how his final reports will support the other actions being taken by the Victorian and federal governments to tear this rotten culture out by its roots.

"I want to say to the tens of thousands of constructions workers … those people deserve a strong union, they deserve the best representation."

Ms Allan highlighted the lack of freedom for whistleblowers to raise complaints as a key issue in the investigation.

The report also found those in the industry are confused as to where to submit their complaints.

"There is not a simple 'one-stop shop' for any allegation related to government-funded construction projects," Mr Wilson said in the report.

"The current landscape is confusing, with multiple state and federal entities responsible for investigating complaints about different types of conduct.

"One person described approaching 10 entities over two years, including state and federal bodies and major contractors, and being unable to find anyone who could deal with the issue they were raising."

The legs and boots of construction workers on the steps of Parliament House.

Allegations of misconduct and criminal infiltration have been levelled at the CFMEU. (ABC News: Che Chorley)

Opposition Leader John Pesutto called the release of the interim report a "farce" and said it would not answers questions about the extent of criminal infiltration into major infrastructure projects.

"This is not a genuine effort to bring about effective reform that will crack down on CFMEU misconduct and rein in the massive billion-dollar cost blowouts that all Victorian are paying the price for," Mr Pesutto said.

"Only a royal commission, as proposed by the Victorian Liberals and Nationals, will get to the bottom of the alleged rorts and criminal conduct that has flourished across Big Build sites under the Allan Labor government."

The federal government moved to place the CFMEU into administration last week, which saw hundreds of delegates removed from their roles and stripped of their duties.

Broader, industry wide action is yet to be legislated by either government.

View More
  • 0 Comment(s)
Captcha Challenge
Reload Image
Type in the verification code above