Marise Payne (NSW, Liberal Party, Minister for Human Services) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Edwards for his question. The Heydon royal commission has exposed what can only be described as intimate connections between the militant CFMEU and underworld figure George Alex. The royal commission's interim report found Mr Alex was a phoenix operator. He repeatedly sent companies broke, owing hundreds of thousands of dollars to workers. Yet the CFMEU continually entered enterprise agreements with his companies, effectively giving them a ticket to work in the industry. It is also alleged that certain officials received kickbacks in return.

Mr Alex is currently serving a sentence for threats to kill. Yesterday he advised the royal commission that underworld figure Mick Gatto and Comanchero bikie Bilal Fatrouni are his 'good friends'. Alex also revealed that Khaled Sharrouf and Mohamed Elomar regularly trained in his backyard gym. They are, of course, the individuals convicted for plots to blow up the MCG and Lucas Heights nuclear reactor in 2005 and who fled Australia last year to fight with IS in Syria.

However, when some brave whistleblowers within the CFMEU raised their own concerns about Alex's companies, they were subjected to abuse and death threats. When questioned about this at a Senate committee hearing, the national secretary of the union, Mr Dave Noonan, completely abdicated responsibility and said the allegations 'have not so far been borne out by evidence in the royal commission'.

It is very concerning that this sort of lawlessness prevails within the national construction union and that its senior leadership remains complicit. It is one reason why the government continues to support the important work of the royal commission in exposing— (Time expired)