Transclean boss caught talking about ‘payout’ in covert video
Footage aired at IBAC hearings has shown meetings between a cleaning company boss and the former boss of V/Line, while the company, which won coronavirus contracts to disinfect trains, was encouraged to make up information while bidding for the job.
Victoria
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An anti-corruption probe into train coronavirus cleaning contracts has been shown footage of meetings between a cleaning company boss and the former chief executive of V/Line.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission hearing was also shown footage of $55,000 cash at the home of Metro Trains manager Peter Bollas.
It was also revealed on Friday the company that won vital coronavirus contracts to disinfect trains was encouraged to make up information while bidding for the job hours after a person suspected to have the virus had been riding across the network.
Another secretly recorded phone conversation, aired in public anti-corruption hearings, has raised further questions over the integrity of vital pandemic work funded by taxpayer dollars.
IBAC is probing whether sacked V/Line chief executive James Pinder engaged in serious misconduct with Peter Bollas, of Metro Trains, and Transclean managing director George Haritos.
The investigation centres on $320,000 made to Mr Pinder’s house deposit, months after Transclean secured a big contract, and alleged kickbacks in cash payments.
In evidence presented to IBAC on Friday, Mr Bollas called Mr Haritos on February 26 to tell him a person suspected of having coronavirus had been on the metropolitan network.
He said an urgent meeting had been called to discuss cleaning regimens and a train at Macaulay Yards was believed to need disinfecting.
He then asked him to think about what equipment might be needed.
“Don’t answer me now because you’re just going to make shit up,” Mr Bollas was heard to say.
“If these people say go, you’re going to spray f..king everything. No one here has got a f..king idea and they’re ringing me to ring you.
“We need a chemical name … make shit up, George, yeah?”
The pair then discussed how much extra they could charge for the work.
Covert footage was also aired of Mr Haritos inside his car talking about payouts and handling envelopes before meeting with Mr Bollas.
He discussed with his nephew which envelope was heavier and the term “good payout” was used.
Earlier in the week, sacked Metro manager Peter Bollas told public hearings he received $20,000 from Mr Haritos at a meeting on the same day.
At one point, the nephew says “he’s earned it” and Mr Haritos agrees.
The Transclean boss was also grilled on Friday morning about money that flowed into a home deposit for sacked V/Line chief James Pinder.
The company had secured a $27m contract with V/Line seven months earlier.
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