CORRUPTION INVESTIGATION – AUSTRALIA

‘It’s not right, it’s unfair, it’s trial by media,’ says ASX CEO

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Original article by Perry Williams, Tony Boyd
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 2 : 22-Mar-16

ASX Limited chairman Rick Holliday-Smith will become acting CEO of the stock exchange operator following the resignation of Elmer Funke Kupper, who has been CEO for more than four years. Funke Kupper says he stepped down to protect the company’s integrity, adding that his priority is the Australian Federal Police’s investigation into allegations of corruption at Tabcorp when he was CEO. Funke Kupper has stressed that he has not been told that he is personally under investigation.

CORPORATES
ASX LIMITED – ASX ASX, TABCORP HOLDINGS LIMITED – ASX TAH, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, CAMBODIA. OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, AUSTRALIA AND NEW ZEALAND BANKING GROUP LIMITED – ASX ANZ, McKINSEY AND COMPANY, NATIONAL AUSTRALIA BANK LIMITED – ASX NAB, RESERVE BANK OF AUSTRALIA, MACQUARIE GROUP LIMITED – ASX MQG, AUSTRALIAN SECURITIES AND INVESTMENTS COMMISSION

Bosses want ban on union tactic

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Original article by Joanna Mather
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 11-Jan-16

The final report of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption noted that pattern bargaining is a major issue in the construction industry. However, it not recommend a total ban on the practice as it does not seem to be widespread in other industries. Master Builders Australia CEO Wilhelm Harnisch has urged the Federal Government to introduce laws to prohibit pattern bargaining in the building industry, arguing that it increases construction costs and undermines productivity.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, MASTER BUILDERS AUSTRALIA INCORPORATED, THE AUSTRALIAN INDUSTRY GROUP, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. PRODUCTIVITY COMMISSION, AUSTRALIAN CHAMBER OF COMMERCE AND INDUSTRY, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO THE BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Unionists face bans

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Original article by Annika Smethurst
Herald Sun – Page: 13 : 11-Jan-16

The Australian Government will resubmit the Registered Organisations Bill to the Senate when Parliament resumes in February 2016. The revised bill is expected to include measures aimed at union officials who breach the law, including financial penalties and bans on them holding office. They are among the recommendations of the final report of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, VICTORIA POLICE, LIBERAL PARTY OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT

Clean up unions, shake up ties to Labor: Crean

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Original article by Troy Bramston, Elizabeth Colman
The Australian – Page: 1 & 2 : 8-Jan-16

Former ACTU president Simon Crean says the union movement must address the issue of corruption and criminal behaviour in its ranks, warning that government action will be taken if union fail to do so themselves. He has also urged the Australian Labor Party to review its structural relationship with unions, with reforms such as reducing the number of union delegates who attend Labor conferences. The former Labor leader is not convinced that deregistering the militant Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union is appropriate, as it would affect members who have not been involved in corruption.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, ACTU, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, BUILDERS’ LABOURERS’ FEDERATION, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA

CFMEU will be spared delisting by the Turnbull government

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Original article by Troy Bramston
The Australian – Page: Online : 7-Jan-16

The Australian Government has ruled out any move to deregister the militant Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union, which boasts more than 100,000 members. The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption made a number of adverse findings about the union, but did not recommend deregistration due to the impact on members who have not engaged in corrupt activity. Employment Minister Michaelia Cash says the Government’s priority in tackling corruption in the construction industry is to reinstate the Australian Building & Construction Commission.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF EMPLOYMENT, AUSTRALIAN BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION COMMISSION, MARITIME UNION OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIA. DEPT OF THE PRIME MINISTER AND CABINET, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, ACTU, BUILDERS’ LABOURERS’ FEDERATION, FAIR WORK BUILDING AND CONSTRUCTION, AUSTRALIAN GREENS

Case for reform is overwhelming

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Original article by
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 38 : 4-Jan-16

The Australian Government should pursue major reforms to the union movement in response to the final report of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption. While any such reforms will face resistance from unions and the Australian Labor Party, the report demonstrates the need for greater regulation of trade unions and for unions to be subject to the same governance standards as the corporate sector. Editorial.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, HEALTH SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, GROCON PROPERTY TRUST AUSTRALIA, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, ACTU

Show of force as CFMEU fights back against blackmail charges

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Original article by Lucille Keen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 3 : 9-Dec-15

Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union officials John Setka and Shaun Reardon will return to court on 15 March 2016, after being granted bail on blackmail charges. Several thousand CFMEU members convened in the Melbourne CBD to express their support for Setka and Reardon, who are accused of attempting to blackmail building materials group Boral. They have pleaded not guilty.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, MELBOURNE MAGISTRATES’ COURT, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, GROCON PTY LTD, ACTU, SUPREME COURT OF VICTORIA, FEDERAL COURT OF AUSTRALIA, AUSTRALIAN COMPETITION AND CONSUMER COMMISSION, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, VICTORIA. DEPT OF PREMIER AND CABINET

CFMEU officials charged with blackmail against Boral

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 4 : 7-Dec-15

Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union officials John Setka and Shaun Reardon will appear in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on 8 December 2015. They face potential jail sentences of up to 15 years after Victorian police charged them with blackmail. The charges relate to an industrial dispute with Grocon, which resulted in building materials group Boral being subject to black bans. It will be alleged that Setka threatened to escalate the bans on Boral unless it ceased supplying cement to Grocon.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, GROCON PTY LTD, BORAL LIMITED – ASX BLD, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, ACTU, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, NATIONAL UNION OF WORKERS, MELBOURNE MAGISTRATES’ COURT

Cbus workers charged over CFMEU leak

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Original article by Ewin Hannan, Nick McKenzie, Richard Baker
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 1-Dec-15

Former Cbus employees Maria Butera and Lisa Zanatta have been charged with giving misleading evidence to the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption. They allegedly leaked details of the superannuation fund’s members to Brian Parker, the New South Wales secretary of the Construction, Forestry, Mining & Energy Union. Parker may also be charged.

CORPORATES
CONSTRUCTION, FORESTRY, MINING AND ENERGY UNION OF AUSTRALIA, CONSTRUCTION AND BUILDING UNIONS’ SUPERANNUATION FUND, LIS-CON HOLDINGS PTY LTD, MELBOURNE MAGISTRATES’ COURT, AUSTRALIAN FEDERAL POLICE, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION

Deal sought for NUW ‘disaster’

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 6 : 16-Nov-15

Tim Kennedy, the national secretary of the National Union of Workers, has indicated that the union’s national body favours joint control of its troubled New South Wales branch rather than a full takeover. The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance & Corruption has heard allegations of widespread fraud at the state branch of the union, including misuse of union credit cards. Former state secretary Derrick Belan, his brother and his niece have been implicated in the scandal.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL UNION OF WORKERS, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, ACTU