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On the witness list for today – and the days ahead
Brisbane’s Cross River Rail is back in the inquiry’s sights, after evidence last month of the CFMEU’s years-long campaign of pressure – allegedly aided in part by government – to try to get its way on the $9.8 billion rail project.
On the witness list yesterday was Sanfilippo – expected to give further evidence this morning.
Senior CPB industrial relations and human resources staff Matthew Papworth, Andrew Large and Michael O’Brien are also listed to be called to the stand.
Graeme Silvester, an executive general manager with CPB’s parent firm, CIMIC Group, is slated to appear too, as is Nicole Watson, a senior HR figure at global civil construction firm Ghella.
A further hearing is scheduled for tomorrow, with additional time set aside for Friday if needed.
What we learned yesterday
Vince Sanfilippo, contractor CPB’s general manager for Queensland and Papua New Guinea, was in the stand yesterday. But it wasn’t all Cross River Rail-related detail out of the inquiry.
Here’s key takeaways to catch you up:
- Former Labor minister Grace Grace has been granted formal legal representation after last week’s evidence she threatened to tear up a $1.5 billion contract on the Toowoomba Bypass project if contractors failed to make peace with the union. Grace is the first former government figure in such a position.
- Counsel assisting Edward Gisonda SC opened the day, describing the idea of departing CFMEU administrator Mark Irving that the union was shifting to a rebuilding stage as a “mistake”, without the “full understanding that only a commission of inquiry can deliver”.
- Focusing again on Brisbane’s $9.8 billion Cross River Rail project, Sanfilippo told of his concern around the actions and impartiality of Cross River Rail Delivery Authority staff and an adviser put forward by then-deputy premier Jackie Trad.
- Sanfilippo outlined estimates the contractors provided to the delivery authority in August 2024 that an additional $580 million had been added to the project’s costs, with up to $400 million to come, due to the effect of CFMEU activities and Labor’s best practice industry conditions policy.
- He also began to outline how the iterations of that policy, containing what CPB was concerned were unlawful requirements to pass pay and conditions onto subcontractors, filtered into other government work which CPB tendered for – and was unsuccessful.
A quick refresher on the road to this week’s public hearing block
Just jumping into the inquiry? Need a refresher on the ground covered so far?
Here’s a recap of the powerful probe’s work to date.
The Crisafulli government launched the $19.7 million inquiry after reporting by this masthead and 60 Minutes into criminality, corruption and misconduct in the union and sector nationwide.
Due to provide a final report by July 31, the inquiry under Commissioner Stuart Wood has also faced questions of its own amid government attacks against the union and former Labor government.
This month: Two weeks of hearings so far have heard how a former head of Queensland’s workplace safety regulator was unable to sack an employee under corruption watchdog monitoring described as a “friend of the CFMEU” – that person was turned into a call centre operator by ousted union leader Michael Ravbar for not returning the employee to a more powerful role. Further evidence of former Labor minister Grace Grace’s threat to tear up a $1.5 billion contract on the Toowoomba Bypass project if contractors failed to make peace with the union was also heard, before corruption-busting barrister Geoffrey Watson SC faced a day of cross-examination.
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Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: www.smh.com.au
