Today
JB Hi-Fi rallies; CFMEU jail warning; A luxury home agent speaks
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
Fines and jail terms for attempts to disrupt CFMEU clean-out
The union faces three years under administration and big penalties for anyone who tries to interfere. The Opposition says the laws are too weak.
- Phillip Coorey
Yesterday
Labor warned CFMEU clean-up must go further
Legislation to put the militant construction union into administration will be introduced to Parliament this week but industry groups warned the looming takeover needed to go further.
- Andrew Tillett and Ronald Mizen
This Month
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
The union boss and the building executive
Multiplex executive Amy Pitchford is in a relationship with a CFMEU official being investigated by police, while also advising the Victorian government on industry issues.
- Nick McKenzie, David Marin-Guzman and Ben Schneiders
Watt moves to create CFMEU special powers
The deadline for the CFMEU to consent to the administrator has surpassed, triggering the government to move ahead with creating new laws.
- James Hall
- Analysis
- Analysis
CFMEU is a dirty word the industry doesn’t want to talk about
A construction industry conference billed as important as UN climate conferences barely touched corruption allegations roiling the sector.
- Aaron Patrick
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
CFMEU put Bandidos bikie on its governing board
Marty Albert was a union organiser on Victorian government construction projects and held a senior position in the John Setka-led branch of the CFMEU.
- David Marin-Guzman and Nick McKenzie
- Exclusive
- Industrial relations
HSU calls on Diana Asmar to stand down over ‘ghost’ services probe
The Health Services Union wants its Victorian leader to stand aside after claims her branch spent more than $3 million for non-existent or “ghost” services.
- David Marin-Guzman and Nick McKenzie
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
CFMEU, health union probed over alleged millions spent on ‘ghost printing’
Victoria Police and the Fair Work Commission are investigating a potential multi-million dollar fraud and allegations a top official misspent members’ money.
- Nick McKenzie, Keiran Rooney, David Marin-Guzman and Ben Schneiders
- Opinion
- Industrial relations
Let the CFMEU purge itself of the criminal, corrupt, and violent
Rather than politicised building codes, the best way to clean up the law-breaking is to empower legitimate officials who understand that a union’s special legal status comes with moral responsibility.
- Updated
- Scott Riches
Getting witnesses to talk is tough in CFMEU case, court told
The judge in the union administration case has recused himself at the first hearing, as the Fair Work Commission’s lawyer warns it will take time to prepare the case.
- David Marin-Guzman
Dead email address for CFMEU evidence a ‘technical issue’, Allan says
The Victorian premier has defended Labor’s investigation into illegal activity in the construction industry against claims it is a “smokescreen”.
- Gus McCubbing and James Hall
ASX dives 3pc; CFMEU boss defiant; Citi boss jumps ship
Read everything that’s happened in the news so far today.
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
Calls grow for royal commission to clean up CFMEU
There are growing calls for the federal government to launch a royal commission into the CFMEU, with the Business Council of Australia warning that an administrator does not have the powers to properly investigate misconduct.
- Patrick Durkin and Gus McCubbing
- Opinion
- Opinion
Five fixes are called for to clean up the CFMEU
Australia has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to rid our biggest construction union of ingrained criminal and corrupt conduct. We cannot afford to miss it.
- Innes Willox
- Opinion
- Building Bad
Bogus email address shows Jacinta Allan’s CFMEU crackdown is a joke
The Victorian premier’s snap review of alleged criminal activity in the construction industry went 11 days without so much as an email address for whistleblowers to use. Until The Australian Financial Review asked about it.
- David Marin-Guzman
- Investigation
- Building Bad
‘Flying blind’: Union watchdog hits roadblocks over CFMEU
The Fair Work Commission cannot get the evidence it needs to put the CFMEU into administration because it is not allowed to access critical police information.
- Nick McKenzie and David Marin-Guzman
Another Cbus exec bites the dust
Street Talk understands Natalie Hannemann, Cbus chief of transformation has walked away from the $94 billion fund less than a year into the role.
- Sarah Thompson, Kanika Sood and Emma Rapaport
- Exclusive
- Building Bad
Builders demand new CFMEU watchdog, but not deregistration
The building lobby wants a new, more powerful industry watchdog, but agrees that deregistering the CFMEU would be counterproductive.
- Phillip Coorey
July
John Setka – finally – leaves Incolink
No individual is bigger than the union, but Setka thought he was bigger than a CFMEU redundancy fund for a while.
- Hannah Wootton
