Union Crime: Supercharged ABCC & Criminal Taskforce a Must

Hon. John Lloyd PSM, Senior Research Fellow 

To eradicate the violent criminality strangling Victoria’s Big Build projects, the Government must deploy a high-powered taskforce of Ministers, senior officials, Victoria Police, and top contractors to enforce order and justice. 

Sunday's 60 Minutes proved that criminal and unlawful conduct remains deeply embedded in the Victorian Government's Big Build projects.

The 60 Minutes report exposed kickbacks to underworld figures, hundreds of bikies and associates employed on projects, violence against contractors and employees, and sexual harassment and bullying of women.

It’s evident that the CFMEU has achieved its aim of effectively controlling the supply of labour and contractors to major projects in Victoria, particularly government ones.

This appalling state of affairs will only be fixed through concerted action by key players. Clients of the industry, contractors, and employees must cooperate to clean up the mess. The Victorian Government should establish a high-powered taskforce of Ministers, senior officials, Victoria Police, and Big Build head contractors, alongside other major contractors.

The taskforce’s brief would be to restore lawful conduct on Big Build projects. Head contractors would be required to report any criminal conduct on their projects and detail their response, with failure to do so triggering serious sanctions, including being barred from government work. Contractor staff colluding with the union’s unlawful conduct should face sanctions, including being sacked.

Government officials would be instructed to beef up their engagement with contractors to gain clear insight into what is happening and ensure proper workplace relations prevail. The requirement for staff and contractors to be approved by the CFMEU must be explicitly banned.

The active support of the Federal Government would be crucial.

The ABCC should be reintroduced to enforce lawful industrial conduct on sites. Penalties need to be sharply increased, and a tough National Code enforced by both the Victorian and Commonwealth Governments.

Whistleblower protection must be guaranteed for the maltreated women who wish to come forward about their horrific experiences. An investigation by the Victorian Government following last year's revelations was described by Counsel Assisting the CFMEU Administrator as a cover up.

The time for yet another inquiry is over. Tough, surgical action is now required.

Hon. John Lloyd PSM was the inaugural Australian Building and Construction Commissioner (ABCC) from 2005 to 2010, with responsibility for securing lawful conduct across the Australian building and construction industry.