Victoria's Kourakis royal commission into the construction sector has appointed an acting assistant commissioner and already held closed hearings in order to gather confidential information, it revealed at its first official hearing today.
FWC GM Murray Furlong has begun prosecuting former senior CFMEU construction division Victorian branch officials - primarily president Rob Graauwmans - for allegedly authorising payment of more than $300,000 of union funds to printing companies to benefit ex-HSU leader Diana Asmar as she campaigned for re-election.
Two silks with backgrounds in building and construction, criminal, administrative and public law are leading the legal team for Chris Kourakis' Royal Commission into crime and misconduct in the Victorian construction industry, ahead of its first hearing.
FWC President Adam Hatcher has refused to stay the deregistration of one auditor and suspension of another found to fallen short in their duties to an embattled HSU branch, concluding that no weight should be given to their "desire for reputational repair" while their appeals are heard.
After its CFMEU raid today, Victoria Police has revealed that its investigation relates to drug trafficking in addition to the "secret commissions" or "kickbacks", and has charged two of the five men it arrested.
Shadow IR minister Jane Hume has introduced a Bill that would enable the CFMEU's administrator to indefinitely expel members or disqualify union officers, and ensure they could not work for other unions.
A new analysis argues CFMEU corruption is a response to declining union power after the deregulation of IR and the shift to decentralised wage-setting.
Extra time for Wood inquiry into CFMEU; Gender undervaluation boost now in October; Migrant Workers Centre launched in NSW; and FWC Bulletin final edition.
The CFMEU's South Australian construction and general division branch has today broken away from its Victorian counterpart, newly-installed administrator Michael Crosby describing it as a "very important moment" after two "turbulent" years following revelations about the union's misdeeds.
Union renewal expert Michael Crosby will start today as the CFMEU construction and general division's new administrator, FWC general manager Murray Furlong announced this morning.
