Letter raises concerns about ‘consistent failure of the board and executive team of the MBAV to follow policies and procedures’

Master Builders Association of Victoria directors have gone to the Fair Work Commission in a move that has brought to a head long-running internal tensions inside the organisation.

A litany of concerns have been raised to the Fair Work Commission. Picture: iStock

Victoria’s peak building industry association is at war over allegations of financial wrongdoing, questionable union dealings, and a “toxic culture”.

Three directors of the Master Builders Association of Victoria on Wednesday reported a litany of concerns to the Fair Work Commission in a move that has brought to a head long-running internal tensions inside the organisation.

In a letter to MBAV members and stakeholders, leaked to the Herald Sun, directors Greg Cole, Lisa Hollingsworth and Raymond French said they held grave concerns about the “consistent failure of the board and executive team of the MBAV to follow policies and procedures.”

They claim those failures led to the unfair appointments of people to external positions – including the board of industry fund Incolink – and “wasteful and illegitimate financial expenditures”.

Lisa Hollingsworth was one of three Master Builders Association directors to raise concerns.

They also raised concerns about alleged instances of “the MBAV acting against the interests of its members for its own financial benefit by way of its involvement with Incolink, specifically when it comes to the negotiation of Enterprise Bargaining Agreements with the CFMEU and other unions”.

They also accused the MBAV board of a “toxic culture … where directors are attacked and/or bullied for asking questions or expressing different ideas, especially female directors.”

The three directors said they made the report to the Fair Work Commission after exhausting all options to deal with the allegations internally.

It comes at a critical time for the building industry, just weeks after the Allan Government launched its updated housing plan aimed at addressing the state’s worsening housing crisis.

There are claims MBAV acted against the interests of its members for its own financial benefits. Picture: iStock

“It is a regrettable state of affairs that we have reached, however we three feel that we would not be exercising our obligations to you as members and stakeholders unless we made this report,” the directors said.

“It is important to note that the above concerns are based on our opinions formed through our acting as directors of the MBAV.

“These concerns are still yet to be substantiated by way of an independent investigation by the FWC or any other regulator or independent third party.”

Master Builders is the peak industry association representing building and construction across Victoria.

The association was contacted for comment.