Green block upper house inquiry into CFMEU

The Greens and Labor have blocked an upper house inquiry into allegations of corruption and misconduct by the CFMEU on Big Build sites as pressure mounts on the Allan government over the scandal.

The Greens and Labor have blocked an upper house inquiry into allegations of corruption and misconduct by the CFMEU as pressure mounts on the Allan government over the ongoing scandal.

A bid by the Coalition to launch a parliamentary inquiry into allegations of kickbacks, standover tactics, bribery and the infiltration of bikies and underworld figures on Big Build projects was voted down on Wednesday after the Greens and Legalise Cannabis teamed up with Labor to reject the motion.

Independent Moira Deeming, One Nation’s Rikkie-Lee Tyrell, Libertarian MP David Limbrick and Shooters, Farmers, Fishers MP Jeff Bourman voted for the inquiry.

Mr Bourman, who was weighing up whether or not to support it earlier in the day, said he decided “that a statement must be made”.

The Greens and Labor have blocked an upper house inquiry into allegations of corruption and misconduct by the CFMEU. Picture David Geraghty / The Australian.

The proposed inquiry would have investigated connections between CFMEU misconduct and “oversight, directives, actions and failures to act by Victorian Ministers and officials, including the Premier”.

Prior to the vote, Victorian Greens Leader Ellen Sandell said while the allegations against the CFMEU were “serious and concerning” the proposed committee would not have the power to compel Ministers or “implement any actual solutions”.

“If we actually want to fix this problem at its core, we need to fix Victoria’s anti-corruption system,” she said.

Legalise Cannabis MP David Ettershank, who voted against the motion alongside his colleague Rachel Payne, labelled the proposal a “theatre for short term political gain”.

Premier Jacinta Allan also dismissed the proposed inquiry as a “political stunt”, saying she was focused on a review commissioned by the government which is being led by long-time bureaucrat Greg Wilson.

Opposition upper house leader Georgie Crozier, who moved the motion, labelled Mr Wilson’s investigation a “Mikey Mouse review” and said it would fail to unveil true corruption in Victoria.

“Our reputation is being tarnished by the reports that have come out in recent weeks ... at a huge expense to the taxpayer with the billions of dollars that is wasted,” she said.

Animal Justice Party MP Georgie Purcell abstained from the vote.