Wednesday, 19 March 2025

Construction industry

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:15): My question is to the Premier. In July last year in relation to corruption on Big Build sites, the Premier said:

… I outlined the very strong action that the government is taking to stamp out this rotten culture at its roots‍ …

Given recent media reports, why has the Premier clearly failed to stamp out union corruption?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:15): I reject the premise of the member for Lowan’s question, and I will now go through the reasons why I reject the allegation that has been made in the member for Lowan’s question. As I made clear in the middle of last year when there were a number of allegations that were made, we moved swiftly because we have zero tolerance for this sort of behaviour.

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual. The Premier has known about this since 2016, this corruption, and she has done nothing to stamp it out.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: In both answering the question and responding to the baseless allegation in the point of order, I will take the house through –

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question, which includes a quote from her. If there is a baseless claim, perhaps she should explain the baseless quote.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: Can I remind the member for Lowan that I rejected the premise of her question, which is being relevant to the question that she asked. I am now detailing to the member for Lowan for her benefit –

Bridget Vallence: On a point of order, Speaker, on relevance, how can the Premier reject something is happening today on government building sites?

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: To reiterate for the benefit of the member for Lowan and the member for Evelyn, I was responding to the allegation that the member for Lowan made in her question about my actions. I am now taking the house through the actions that my government has taken, supporting of course the work of the federal government in appointing an administrator to address these issues. Of course following the allegations that were made in the middle of last year, I referred a range of allegations to both Victoria Police and IBAC. I wrote to the federal industrial relations minister asking for EBAs –

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the question. It is about what corruption is continuing on Big Build sites. Why has she failed to stop the corruption?

Jacinta ALLAN: On the point of order, Speaker, the question asked for a response to actions I have taken. I am giving a response to the member for Lowan on the actions that I have taken on this matter in the context of having zero tolerance for this behaviour on worksites in this state.

Bridget Vallence: Speaker, further to the point of order, the Premier seems to suggest the question asked for actions. It did not. It asked why she has failed to stamp out union corruption.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order. I am starting to tire of the frivolous points of order. The Premier answered the question at the outset. The Premier can continue to answer the question now.

Jacinta ALLAN: The further actions that I have taken, in addition to those that I have already outlined for the benefit of the member for Lowan, include bringing to his house legislation to ban from prescribed worksites members of organised crime groups and also work through the –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: The member for Lowan is warned. The Minister for Police is warned.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is required to be factual, and that legislation has not even commenced yet.

The SPEAKER: There is no point of order.

Jacinta ALLAN: Noting of course, as I said at the outset, that we strongly support the action taken by the federal government of the appointment of administrator and noting of course that industrial relations powers in this state are held by the federal government, in addition to those actions I have outlined to the house we have also had both an interim and a final report from Greg Wilson that looked at what further action we needed to take here in Victoria, acknowledging that there was clearly more work that we needed to do.

That work is being implemented right now, including the implementation of a complaints referral body to receive complaints about allegations, noting that should anyone hold information or have an allegation of criminal behaviour on any worksite, it is my expectation that it of course be referred to Victoria Police for their investigation as the appropriate agency. In addition to that we are providing a mechanism through a complaints referral body. We are also putting in place a stronger alliance with federal and state regulatory agencies who have responsibility in this area.

Emma KEALY (Lowan) (14:20): Why has this rotten culture, including violence against women, ghost shifts and taxpayer dollars being funnelled into the pockets of organised crime, continued to plague Big Build sites since the Premier vowed to stamp it out?

Jacinta ALLAN (Bendigo East – Premier) (14:21): Again, in addition to those actions that I have outlined to the house, I want to reiterate that the reporting of the violence, particularly the violence perpetrated against women on worksites, was absolutely sickening. It is unacceptable. Everyone deserves the right to a safe workplace, which is why I understand, in terms of the incident that was televised, that Victoria Police are following up that matter, but also it is why, in addition to those actions that I have already outlined, in addition to the work that Victoria Police is undertaking in terms of having more resources brought to this work, it is important that anyone with allegations refer them to Victoria Police.

Emma Kealy: On a point of order, Speaker, the Premier is debating the response. She is going around the fact that this question is: why has that culture continued? Why is corruption still happening on Big Build sites when she promised a year ago to stamp it out?

The SPEAKER: Member for Lowan, I ask you not to repeat the question in your point of order. The Premier was not debating the question, the Premier was being relevant to the question. The Premier has concluded her answer.