Melbourne Metro Project rocked by bribery, racism allegations
Bombshell allegations of bribery and corruption have rocked the Melbourne Metro Project amid a simmering feud over racism claims.
Victoria
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Bombshell allegations of bribery have rocked the $13.7 billion Melbourne Metro Project amid a simmering feud between unions and project builders.
The claims, which stem from a dispute about how allegations of racism and industrial thuggery were dealt with on site, include that in a meeting between union officials and a representative of project builders, there was an “under the table” payment twice offered.
The man accused of the corrupt behaviour has strenuously denied wrongdoing, after an Australian Workers’ Union official’s letter detailing allegations and complaints was sent to building company chiefs and other senior union members.
A third party has now been called in to investigate the matter.
The sensational claims come during a week in which the Andrews government toured the site of its signature rail project, which will connect South Yarra to Kensington via a 9km tunnel with five new underground stations.
Initially slated to open in 2026, the tunnel is running ahead of schedule and likely to open a year early, but is an eye-watering $2.7 billion over budget.
Allegations of racism and industrial relations breaches in the AWU letter, written by the union’s lead construction organiser Ronnie Hayden, were sparked during an ongoing dispute with rival union the CFMEU.
The letter calls for people named and involved in allegedly corrupt behaviour — which could attract the attention of anti-corruption commission IBAC given the project involves public sector staff and money — to be barred from working on the $15.8 billion North East Link.
The letter says that earlier this year an AWU delegate had his identification defaced with “gay pedo” and he was later targeted by a CFMEU delegate who repeatedly used the phrase “Uncle Tom” – a racist term that originated in the US.
Witness statements from project workers have also been obtained by the Herald Sun.
The letter from the AWU, which declined to comment, says proper process wasn’t followed after complaints were made.
Mr Hayden writes that one member of the building consortium “offered an under-the-table sum of money on two separate occasions to make the matter go away”.
Rail Projects Victoria said it treated any allegations of discrimination and vilification seriously and the builder CYP was required to handle complaints as per policies and legislation.
A spokesperson for Lendlease, which is part of the CYP consortium along with John Holland and Bouygues Construction Australia, said: “We reject any suggestion that unlawful or improper transactions were made in relation to this alleged matter”.
The spokesperson said CYP had “zero tolerance” for harassment, discrimination and bullying and “manages any workplace complaint in accordance with relevant policies and legislation.”
The CFMEU’s state secretary John Setka said racism allegations were baseless and “schoolyard tactics” by a union that lacked “industrial strength”.
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