{"id":22834,"date":"2026-02-18T06:20:13","date_gmt":"2026-02-18T06:20:13","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=22834"},"modified":"2026-02-18T06:20:13","modified_gmt":"2026-02-18T06:20:13","slug":"victorian-attorney-general-lambasts-integrity-expert-over-unfounded-claim-cfmeu-corruption-cost-taxpayers-15bn-australian-trade-unions","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/microvibenews.com\/?p=22834","title":{"rendered":"Victorian attorney general lambasts integrity expert over \u2018unfounded claim\u2019 CFMEU corruption cost taxpayers $15bn | Australian trade unions"},"content":{"rendered":"

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Victoria\u2019s attorney general has launched an extraordinary attack on the integrity expert, Geoffrey Watson SC, over his claim corruption at the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFEMU) cost taxpayers at least $15bn<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The figure was contained in redacted chapters from Watson\u2019s Rotting from the Top report, commissioned by the CFMEU administrator, Mark Irving KC, and tendered during a Queensland inquiry into the union<\/a> last week.<\/p>\n

Watson, a barrister, director of the Centre for Public Integrity and former counsel assisting at the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, described it as a \u201cvery rough\u201d estimate based on the opinions of \u201chighly qualified stakeholders\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Given Victoria\u2019s Big Build<\/a> public infrastructure program was worth roughly $100bn, and industry sources told Watson that cost blowouts linked to CFMEU conduct ranged between 10% and 30%, he settled on an estimate of 15%, describing it as \u201cnot unreasonable\u201d and \u201cprobably conservative\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom there the maths is simple \u2013 the leadership of the CFMEU has cost the Victorian taxpayer something like $15bn,\u201d the redacted chapter reads.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere is another point to this \u2013 as will be seen, much of that $15bn has been poured directly into the hands of criminals and organised crime gangs.\u201d<\/p>\n

In another redacted chapter, Watson alleged the Victorian government \u201cknew and had a duty to know\u201d that corrupt union and underworld figures had infiltrated the Big Build but chose to do \u201cnothing about it\u201d.<\/p>\n

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The chapters were removed from the final report by Irving \u201cbecause he was not satisfied that they were well-founded or properly tested\u201d, his spokesperson said.<\/p>\n

Kilkenny said it was \u201creckless for anyone to make unfounded claims of a $15bn cost to taxpayers from our Big Build\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cAs lawyers, our professional credibility rests on evidence. It goes to who we are. We are bound to make a clear distinction between allegation and proof, and the rule of law depends on this,\u201d she said in a statement on Wednesday afternoon.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe line between fact and allegation has now been blurred. Mark Irving saw that, lawyers see that and we see that.\u201d<\/p>\n

Kilkenny\u2019s intervention followed comments by the state police minister, Anthony Carbines, outside parliament on Wednesday morning, in which he accused Watson of giving \u201clots of florid ramblings \u2026 but not a lot of evidence\u201d.<\/p>\n

Carbines said if Watson had evidence to \u201cgive it to Victoria police\u201d instead of seeking a \u201cheadline\u201d.<\/p>\n

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Watson hit back at Kilkenny and Carbines\u2019 comments, saying that while he has \u201cdeliberately refrained from speaking publicly\u201d about the report the ministers\u2019 intervention was \u201cso inappropriate\u201d he was obliged to respond.<\/p>\n

\u201cThey shouldn\u2019t have said that. It crossed a line,\u201d Watson told Guardian Australia.<\/p>\n

\u201cI don\u2019t know why they are attacking me personally rather than addressing the genuine problems in Victoria. Neither of them have bothered to call me to talk to me about it.\u201d<\/p>\n

The shadow attorney general, James Newbury, said the ministers \u201caren\u2019t fit for their jobs and deserve to be sacked\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Victorian government is so rotten that the attorney and police minister have attacked the anti-corruption expert who has exposed the worst corruption our state has ever been,\u201d Newbury said.<\/p>\n

\u201cNo wonder corruption thrives in Victoria.\u201d<\/p>\n