Victoria Big Build Inquiry Hears CFMEU Allegedly Threatened to “Smash” Subcontractor
Victoria's Big Build royal commission opened two weeks of public hearings on Monday, hearing that the CFMEU allegedly threatened a subcontractor at a Sunbury rail site in 2022. The hearings run to November 20, days before the state election.
Victoria's Big Build inquiry heard on Monday, November 9, that the construction union CFMEU allegedly threatened to "smash" a subcontractor at a Sunbury rail site in 2022. The royal commission opened two weeks of public hearings that run until November 20, eight days before the Victorian state election on November 28.
The first day focused on the Gap Road level crossing removal project in Sunbury, in Melbourne's outer north. Work stopped on June 6, 2022, and resumed the next day after control of the site passed to the CFMEU (Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union). The commission heard costs blew out by an estimated $6 million.
Counsel assisting the commission, Chris Young KC, stressed that the themes under examination were allegations at this stage, and some had been denied.
Threat against Wagstaff Piling
Young read from notes of an internal contractor meeting held before the stop-work. They said the CFMEU was pressuring Wagstaff Piling, with the words: "you guys better not turn up tonight otherwise we'll smash you during the day."
The commission heard that police and WorkSafe Victoria were notified. Victoria Police took no action because it treated the matter as an occupational health and safety issue. Wagstaff Piling later told other firms it would not work, citing union pressure.
Young said other contractors had described "remarkably similar" experiences on other major projects.
Memos on union access
Internal memos from site contractor John Holland were read to the hearing. A 2017 memo said the CFMEU had "unprecedented access to ministers and other key Victorian government stakeholders." It added that the union would likely have "a substantial amount of knowledge around proposed government tenders."
A later document, from August 2021, described a "level of influence not seen in previous years." The commission heard that CFMEU officials visited the Sunbury site 33 times, with growing frequency until the union took control in June 2022.
Young also said 20 witnesses have been compelled to appear in the November hearings. He warned that some parties were not complying with notices to produce documents, a criminal offence, and called that "extremely concerning."
The commission has already received requests for more than 110,000 documents. Premier Ben Carroll denied any knowledge of the CFMEU's access to senior government officials and ministers. "What today's hearings show is that I am a premier that will make the tough decisions," Carroll said.
