The investigation features secret surveillance and new audio revealing how bikies, criminals and underworld figures have infiltrated the building industry in Victoria and NSW, including on large publicly funded projects.
It also uncovered unprecedented details of senior bikie figures and criminals being parachuted into lucrative union roles, with the problems extending to the Indigenous employment sector.
John Setka arriving at the ACTU office in 2019.Credit: Eddie Jim
In the face of repeated questioning about the explosive allegations, Setka resigned late on Friday.
“These stories have been constant, and while I’ve been the target of many of them, enough is enough,” said on Friday night following his resignation from the CFMEU.
“If my stepping down can stop these malicious attacks on our members and officials and allow this great union to continue to fight for our members, for their wages and conditions, so that they go home safely to their families each day, then I’m happy.”
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The Victorian opposition on Saturday called on Premier Jacinta Allan to hold an urgent investigation into the CFMEU.
Deputy Liberal leader David Southwick and shadow industrial relations minister David Hodgett accused Allan and Labor of failing to act on the militant union and again committed to set up a new workplace umpire for the construction industry if elected.
“Reports today of widespread organised crime infiltration of Victorian taxpayer-funded major projects through the Labor-backed CFMEU are deeply concerning, but not surprising,” they said in a statement.
“Under Labor, reports of misconduct, intimidation, rorts, standover tactics and thuggish behaviour on Big Build sites has become commonplace, yet time and again, Premier Jacinta Allan and the Labor government have failed to take appropriate action.”
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The Victorian government has been contacted for comment.
The Victorian Coalition has promised, if elected, to introduce a new code of practice for the building and construction industry and will establish a body, known as Construction Enforcement Victoria, to oversee and monitor compliance.
The code, which will cover major government projects, will dictate standards of conduct on-site, the settlement of disputes and the content of enterprise agreements. It will also ensure the rights to entry and freedom of association.
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