A former CFMEU official has told the royal commission into Victoria's construction industry that underworld figure Mick Gatto attended a meeting called after the official and a colleague were seriously assaulted at a construction site. Paul Tzimas, the first witness associated with the union to appear before the commission, said he suffered a fractured ankle and his colleague was left with major injuries and severe post-traumatic stress.
The two-week hearing block is focused solely on the Gap Road level crossing removal project in Sunbury, and on events in June 2022, when the CFMEU effectively muscled its way onto the project and into the heart of the $109 billion Big Build program.
On Wednesday the commission heard from Quinton Drury, a WorkSafe inspector who had worked for the agency for nine years and inspected major construction sites, including Gap Road. Drury said tensions would rise on site if WorkSafe inspectors did not support what the construction union claimed were safety breaches.
His evidence follows Tuesday's hearing, at which John Holland manager Joe Aygur said there was a "view" within government that if a deal was not done with the CFMEU, to give the union what it wanted, the company would not win further work. Asked where that view came from, Aygur said: "The minister's office."
Counsel assisting the commission, Chris Young KC, said the witnesses heard so far had been compelled to give evidence. "All of the witnesses that we have heard from ... have been compelled to attend, the evidence that they have given has no doubt been difficult, and it has been difficult for them to revisit difficult times and events during their working lives. They had no choice about giving the evidence that they gave today."
An employee of a Big Build labour hire company was also charged with drug trafficking by a taskforce created to combat alleged organised crime and corruption in the industry.
Analysis
Why This Matters
- The Gap Road hearings are the first test of the royal commission's examination of how the CFMEU bargained its way onto a project at the heart of Victoria's $109 billion Big Build program.
- Joe Aygur's evidence ties John Holland's future work to a deal with the union, raising questions about how contracts on multibillion-dollar public projects are awarded.
- The allegation that Mick Gatto attended a meeting after the assaults brings the hearings into direct contact with organised crime allegations, which a dedicated taskforce is investigating.
Background
The Victorian government established the royal commission to examine the integrity of major public and civil infrastructure construction projects in the state, following long-running allegations of union intimidation and criminal influence in the industry. Gatto is a prominent Melbourne figure long described as an underworld identity, with a history of involvement in the construction industry.
Key Perspectives
Paul Tzimas (former CFMEU official): told the royal commission he and a colleague were seriously assaulted at a construction site, that he suffered a fractured ankle and his colleague was left with major injuries and severe PTSD, and that underworld figure Mick Gatto attended a meeting called after the assault.
Joe Aygur (John Holland manager): said there was a "view" within government that if a deal was not done with the CFMEU, giving the union what it wanted, the company would not win further work, and attributed that view to "the minister's office".
Quinton Drury (WorkSafe inspector): said tensions would rise on site if WorkSafe inspectors did not support what the construction union claimed were safety breaches.
Chris Young KC (counsel assisting the commission): said witnesses had been compelled to attend, that their evidence had "no doubt been difficult" and that they had "no choice" about giving it.
What to Watch
- Further witnesses in the two-week hearing block, whose identities cannot be published ahead of their appearance.
- Whether the evidence identifies who in the minister's office held the view described by Aygur.
- Whether the commission hears more about alleged organised crime links, after an employee of a Big Build labour hire company was charged with drug trafficking.
Checked
12 claims in this story checked against 2 sources: 12 supported.
Show each claim
- SupportedMick Gatto attended a meeting called after construction-site assaults, the royal commission was told.Australia news | The Guardian: “underworld figure Mick Gatto attended a meeting that was called after the official and a colleague were seriously assaulted at a construction site.”
- SupportedPaul Tzimas is a former CFMEU official.Australia news | The Guardian: “Former CFMEU official Paul Tzimas tells inquiry he suffered fractured ankle”
- SupportedTzimas said he suffered a fractured ankle.Australia news | The Guardian: “Paul Tzimas tells inquiry he suffered fractured ankle”
- SupportedTzimas’s colleague was left with major injuries and severe post-traumatic stress.Australia news | The Guardian: “a colleague was left with major injuries and severe PTSD”
- SupportedThe hearing block lasts two weeks and focuses solely on the Gap Road level crossing removal project in Sunbury.The Age - Latest News: “this two-week hearing block will focus solely on the Gap Road level crossing removal project in Sunbury.”
- SupportedThe commission is examining events in June 2022, when the CFMEU effectively muscled its way onto the project and into the $109 billion Big Build program.The Age - Latest News: “it will be looking at the events of June 2022, when the CFMEU effectively muscled its way onto the project and into the heart of the $109 billion Big Build program.”
- SupportedWorkSafe inspector Quinton Drury had worked for the agency for nine years and inspected major construction sites, including Gap Road.The Age - Latest News: “Quinton Drury, who has worked for WorkSafe for the past nine years and inspected major construction sites, including the Gap Road site.”
- SupportedDrury said tensions would rise if WorkSafe inspectors did not support safety breaches claimed by the construction union.The Age - Latest News: “The inspector said tensions would rise on site if WorkSafe inspectors didn’t support what the construction union claimed were safety breaches.”
- SupportedJoe Aygur said there was a view within government that John Holland would not win further work if it did not make a deal giving the CFMEU what it wanted.The Age - Latest News: “there was a “view” within government that if a deal was not done with the CFMEU - to give the union what it wanted - the company would not win further work.”
- SupportedWhen asked where that view came from, Aygur said, “The minister’s office.”The Age - Latest News: “Asked where that view came from Aygur said: “The minister’s office”.”
- SupportedChris Young KC said the witnesses heard so far had been compelled to attend and had no choice about giving evidence.The Age - Latest News: “All of the witnesses that we have heard from ... have been compelled to attend, the evidence that they have given has no doubt been difficult, and it has been difficult for them to revisit difficult times and events during their working lives.”
- SupportedAn employee of a Big Build labour hire company was charged with drug trafficking by a taskforce created to combat alleged organised crime and corruption in the industry.The Age - Latest News: “an employee of a Big Build labour hire company was charged with drug trafficking by a taskforce created to combat alleged organised crime and corruption in the industry.”