Master Builders SA chief Will Frogley tried to join embattled fund before attack campaign

The Master Builders SA boss tried to join a workers’ fund with links to John Setka – before claiming its SA push would blow out construction costs and send money interstate.

One of the state’s most influential building lobbyists pushed for a board position on an embattled multimillion dollar workers’ fund – before claiming its SA expansion would blow out construction costs and send money interstate.

Master Builders SA chief executive Will Frogley has over the past year attacked Victorian redundancy fund Incolink, which counted disgraced ex-union boss John Setka as a board member until last week.

Mr Frogley said the fund was backed by the CFMEU, whose construction arm is under police investigation, and was attempting a “takeover of long-running SA workers entitlements fund BIRST”.

Master Builders Association SA chief executive Will Frogley did not clarify why he sought a board position on a CFMEU-backed workers’ fund. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

But the Sunday Mail can reveal during merger talks between the funds last July, Mr Frogley told industry and union colleagues on BIRST that he would support a takeover – if his organisation was promised a seat on Incolink’s board.

In a leaked email, Incolink chief Erik Locke told BIRST that Mr Frogley’s demands scuppered the negotiations.

“At the heart of our disagreement is that Will wants a spot on the Incolink board, and for us to amend our constitution to do so,” Mr Locke wrote.

“This would mean four per cent of the fund having a disproportionate say over 96 per cent.

“I can assure you I haven’t enjoyed the subterfuge engaged in by Will, when I have never been anything but courteous.”

The Sunday Mail understands the merger would have created a committee for the entity’s SA operations, on which MBA SA would have had 50 per cent voting power.

However, it is understood Incolink did not wish to give MBA SA veto power over its Victorian activities.

CEPU SA secretary John Adley said he stepped down from the BIRST board because of Mr Frogley’s “conflict of interest”. Picture: Matt Loxton

Mr Frogley did not deny the allegations but said the email was leaked as payback over his calls for more transparency about how workers’ entitlements are handled.

He said he did not receive any personal benefit from his previous position as a BIRST board member.

The building chief has also called on the state government to pay all entitlements on public work into BIRST, sparking conflict-of-interest claims by union heavyweights.

Communications, Electrical, Energy and Plumbing Union secretary John Adley said he resigned from the BIRST board last week, partly in protest of how Mr Frogley handled the merger.

“I raised a conflict of interest because as a director who is working for members, you have to consider the benefits or negatives from the perspective of the workers’ best interests,” Mr Adley said.

“My view at the time was that an $880m scheme was better placed to provide benefits than a $50m one.

“What (Mr Frogley) is asking for is for BIRST to be a protected monopoly and for workers to have no choice, even if that is the worst outcome.”

Former Victorian CFMEU secretary John Setka stepped down from his job amid allegations of underworld links to his union, but has denied any personal wrongdoing. Picture: Roy VanDerVegt

MBA SA general manager Kym Morgan said he was not involved in merger talks but believed Mr Frogley’s request was “entirely uncontroversial” and Incolink’s refusal was “trying to remove oversight” of SA workers’ money.

State crossbencher Connie Bonaros said Mr Frogley’s actions raised “serious integrity questions” and called on the state government to carry out a “systemic investigation of the construction sector”.