CFMEU-aligned fund receives $5.5m grant to encourage women in construction

Bureaucrats under Labor awarded almost $5.5 million to a fund aligned with the CFMEU to help encourage more women into construction, a week before allegations were made about members committing domestic violence.

Industry fund Incolink won the funding from the Department of Employment on March 3 for a project partnering with groups including the National, Victorian and Tasmanian branches of the CFMEU to support training women in skilled roles to eliminate “barriers to gender equity”.

The grant reveals an ongoing connection between Labor and the union despite Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and Workplace Minister Murray Watt condemning the CFMEU and forcing it into administration last year for bullying, thuggery and violence against women.

Bureaucrats under Labor awarded almost $5.5 million to a John Setka-backed fund aligned with the CFMEU.Credit: Rebecca Hallas

Coalition spokesperson for women Sussan Ley said it was “indefensible” that Incolink – partnered with the CFMEU – won a grant to support women in the workforce, after this masthead and 60 Minutes on Sunday revealed multiple domestic violence allegations against women by members.

“Skills Minister Andrew Giles must immediately tear this grant up, and then quickly apologise for this insult to the women of Australia,” Ley said.

Incolink is a Victorian-based billion-dollar worker entitlement fund controlled by the CFMEU and Master Builders, and lists current CFMEU secretary Zach Smith as a director.

A spokesperson for the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations said: “Incolink is receiving funding to deliver the Women in Construction project, which seeks structural change to support better careers for women in construction.”

Former union boss John Setka was also on the Incolink board until July last year, after he resigned from the CFMEU following this masthead’s Building Bad investigation into alleged corruption, bikie infiltration and violence.

The fund won the $5.48 million grant, which runs from March 4 this year until September 2028, to build partnerships that drive cultural change by addressing workplace safety and culture, gender-based discrimination and ensuring smooth transitions between training and employment.

The grant is part of the Albanese government’s $60.6 million program to build women’s careers in male-dominated industries under its Future Made in Australia plan.

Minister for Women Katy Gallagher and Giles announced the 10 projects receiving the funding, including Incolink, on March 3 ahead of International Women’s Day.

“By working with employer groups, peak bodies, and unions, we are driving real change across industry and creating safer, more respectful workplaces for all Australians,” Gallagher said in a statement at the time.

In a question on notice from November estimates, the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations confirmed the CFMEU was eligible to apply for grants relating to the building women’s careers program.

Ministers Gallagher, Watt and Giles have been contacted for comment.

This masthead on Tuesday revealed that Victorian and ACT bureaucrats under Labor governments had transferred $2.7 million to the CFMEU between 2022 and mid-2024, even as serious allegations against senior officials emerged.

Credit: Matt Golding

The government says it is cleaning up the union after forcing it into administration last year, but Opposition Leader Peter Dutton is pushing Labor to go further by introducing racketeering laws.

The Coalition is also expected to argue for the union to be disbanded when parliament sits next week.

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