Exclusive

Financial failure, missed taxes and deadly history no barrier to CFMEU promotion

Eryk Bagshaw, Kate McClymont, Nick McKenzie and David Marin-Guzman

Aug 25, 2024 – 7.45pm

Subscribe to gift this article

Gift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.

Already a subscriber?

A booming scaffolding firm that has secured significant contracts on the $550 million redevelopment of the nation’s war memorial, the Sydney Metro, a major hospital and a public school has been repeatedly promoted by the CFMEU, despite a catastrophic safety record and alleged links to a bikie boss and other underworld figures.

Synergy Scaffolding Services and its related entities have not only secured union backing for multiple enterprise bargaining agreements (EBAs) but, according to union and industry sources, been repeatedly informally pushed by sacked NSW CFMEU boss Darren Greenfield onto work sites around the state.

Eryk Bagshaw is an investigative reporter for The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age. He was previously North Asia correspondent.

Kate McClymont is chief investigative reporter at The Sydney Morning Herald.

Nick McKenzie is an Age investigative journalist who has twice been named the Graham Perkin Australian Journalist of the Year. A winner of 16 Walkley Awards, including the Gold Walkley, he investigates politics, business, foreign affairs and criminal justice.

David Marin-Guzman writes about industrial relations, workplace, policy and leadership from Sydney.