Police investigation into CFMEU set to finish within the next fortnight

A police investigation into allegations of criminal misconduct in the CFMEU is “in its final stages”, with detectives set to probe potential charges.

A Victoria Police investigation into allegations of criminal misconduct within the construction division of the CFMEU will conclude within weeks, with detectives set to probe potential charges.

The embattled construction union could face charges related to allegations that criminal figures had infiltrated the union and taxpayer-funded construction projects, with police due to wrap up their probe within the next fortnight.

It comes as the Herald Sun on Saturday revealed that builders had reached out to lawyers about whether they could toss lucrative CFMEU pay deals after the union was put into ­administration by the federal government.

The CFMEU could face charges in relation to allegations that criminal figures had infiltrated the union and taxpayer-funded construction projects. Picture: AFP

Victorian Trades Hall Council hit back on Saturday, suggesting it would be a “waste” of money to liaise with lawyers.

“If builders want to waste money on lawyers who will simply tell them the agreements stand, then that’s their call,” a Trades Hall spokesperson said.

The CFMEU is now preparing to stage rallies against the Commonwealth takeover.

When the explosive claims against the CFMEU surfaced last month, Premier Jacinta Allan announced that she had asked both Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) last month.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton says the investigation is now ‘in its final stages’. Picture: David Crosling

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton in an interview with Sky News on Saturday said that investigation was now “in its final stages”.

“We anticipate that it will be in the next week, two weeks at the maximum, that we would be able to say we’ve assessed this material, there are these offences that we’re going to investigate or we’re saying there are no offences for us to investigate,” he said.

He warned that “the mere presence of bikies on building sites, although unsavoury, isn’t against the law”.

The chief commissioner said he had offered his assistance to former Department of Justice secretary Greg Wilson who is chairing the state government’s inquiry into the allegations against the CFMEU.

Mr Wilson is investigating ways to strengthen laws to make it easier to report and remove individuals found to be involved in criminal behaviour.

He will provide an interim report to the government by August 2029, and a final report by November 28 this year.