Posted on: 04 September 2023
The CFMEU - run by notorious unionist John Setka - appears to be making moves to enter South Australia’s civil construction industry, paving the way for the thuggish group to gain access to the state’s biggest project, which could trigger a $450 million cost blowout.
New evidence on the CFMEU’s website shows a “Civil Organiser” has been added to the union’s ranks, sparking fears and rumours in the industry that the union has their eyes on the delayed North-South Corridor project.
New analysis - which has been independently verified - has revealed CFMEU infiltration of the project could see an almost half a billion-dollar cost blowout on a project that has already skyrocketed to more than $15 billion.
It could also elevate tensions between competing unions.
The half a billion-dollar figure - calculated over the life of the North-South Corridor project - is based on 10 per cent of onsite workers becoming CFMEU members who receive above widely accepted entitlements and incentives.
Shadow Treasurer Matt Cowdrey said all signs point towards the CFMEU seeping into the state’s civil construction industry for another mass takeover.
“John Setka and his greedy band of CFMEU cronies want the construction pie all for themselves and appointing a ‘Civil Organiser’ to their ranks is an obvious sign of their intentions here in South Australia after taking over building sites across the state,” he said.
“Peter Malinauskas has already rolled out the red carpet for John Setka and the CFMEU - if they are allowed to force their way into our civil construction industry it will be a mass takeover with irreversible consequences that taxpayers will be on the hook for.
“Since Labor came to power, we’ve seen huge delays and costs blowouts for the North-South Corridor project which is now more than $5 billion over budget.
“If Peter Malinauskas continues to do nothing - and sides with John Setka and the CFMEU over workers and the construction industry - we are on the verge of watching the most expensive infrastructure project in state history become as cash cow for John Setka’s Victorian-run union.”