Victorian Treasurer Tim Pallas was the guest of honour at a CFMEU-organised event attended by controversial union leader John Setka, ahead of which the union boasted that billions of dollars of work would flow to its members and affiliated builders.
The Andrews Labor government has been accused by some industry sources of allowing unprecedented CFMEU access to Victoria’s construction sector at the expense of the more moderate Australian Workers Union in return for financial and political support ahead of the November state election.
Mr Pallas, who is also industrial relations minister, joined the roads and public transport minister Ben Carroll for the private lunch at Carlton’s Epocha restaurant on Thursday along with CFMEU Victorian leaders and builders.
The CFMEU said the event was not a fundraiser, despite it being flagged in an internal CFMEU calendar invitation, seen by The Australian Financial Review, as a “CFMEU Private ALP Fundraiser”. The CFMEU also said the event was not hosted by Mr Setka.
