Metro Trains axe cleaning company Transclean after corruption probe
Metro Trains has sacked the cleaning company at the centre of a major corruption probe as public hearings into the misconduct investigation are now complete.
Victoria
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Metro Trains has sacked the cleaning company at the centre of a major corruption probe, with public hearings into the misconduct investigation now completed.
Metro chief executive Raymond O’Flaherty on Friday announced the operator would terminate its agreement with Transclean and commission a review with how it awards major contracts.
It comes after six days of hearings at the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commision centered around serious alleged misconduct for cleaning work at V/Line and Metro.
“Metro remains committed to the highest standards of integrity across our organisation,” Mr O’Flaherty said.
“This follows my previous confirmation of the termination of Peter Bollas’ employment with Metro, and the appointment of an independent auditor to review our procurement and probity processes.
“A rigorous tender process is already underway to appoint a long-term cleaning supplier to provide the highest standard of daily cleaning for Metro’s train fleet.
“We will make further announcements regarding this ongoing tender process at the appropriate time.
Mr O’Flaherty said he wanted to reassure passengers that trains and stations were still being cleaned and sanitised to a high standard.
“These measures include audit teams regularly checking the standard of this work.”
Over the past week, IBAC secretly recorded phone calls in which Metro’s former head of fleet operational Peter Bollas discussed coronavirus cleaning contracts with Transclean managing director George Haritos.
The conversations, made between February and August this year, centered around allegedly securing Metro contracts for Mr Haritos company, forewarning Transclean about surprise inspections, covering up safety concerns and incidents in which trains may not have been disinfected as promised.
Over this time IBAC investigators also recorded Mr Haritos extracting thousands of dollars in cash before attending meetings with Mr Bollas and sacked V/Line’s chief executive James Pinders.
On Friday afternoon, counsel assisting the commission Paul Lawrie put it to Mr Haritos that he had allegedly used these cash payments to secure work.
“You were paying both these men a retainer for them to advance your interests with both Metro and Transclean weren’t you?” he said.
Mr Haritos denied these allegations.
It comes after Transclean employees overseeing coronavirus cleaning on Victorian trains spoke about having “dodged a bullet” after being forewarned about an important inspection, the state’s anti corruption watchdog has heard.
New phone calls played to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission also show the company’s managing director talking about “honey” and “sprinkles” during a discussion about securing more work with a senior figure in Metro Trains.
The investigation centres around $320,000 paid to Mr Pinder’s home deposit, seven months after Transclean was awarded a major contract, and alleged regular cash payments made while the company secured further coronavirus cleaning work along the rail network.
On Friday, the commission played a covert recording from July 17 between Mr Haritos and employee Steven Kyritsis made after a government-commissioned audit.
It comes after IBAC had previously heard a conversation in which Mr Bollas had forewarned the men about the inspection and to have their timesheets in order.
In the new recording, Mr Kyritsis talks about the inspectors being thorough, but that no issues had been found.
“I don’t think he picked up on anything. All the paperwork was spot on,” he said at the time.
“We’ve dodged a bullet ... That’ll shut them up.”
The pair then discuss their intention to see Mr Bollas on July 21, with previous evidence showing Mr Haritos had withdrawn thousands of dollars in cash before the meeting.
In another phone conversation that same week, Mr Bollas is heard talking with Mr Haritos about additional state government funded work, yet to be awarded, for deep cleans of Metro trains.
They discuss, in a mixture of English and Greek, how best to pitch a price to the government and Mr Bollas says he has been pushing for Transclean to do the major work.
“Will there be any honey for me?” Mr Bollas asks.
Mr Haritos then replies: “Not honey, sprinkles”.
The commission also heard a conversation between Mr Haritos and Maria Tsakopoulos , an associate who provided money towards Mr Pinder’s home loan in 2018.
They discuss the IBAC investigation and how best to describe the $320,000 paid towards Mr Pinder’s home deposit.
“We must cover our tracks,” Mr Haritos said.
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