GOVERNMENTAL INVESTIGATIONS – AUSTRALIA

Takeaways from 7-Eleven wage fraud inquiry must stop the rot

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Original article by Adele Ferguson
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 40 : 25-Jan-16

The wage exploitation scandal has embroiled a number of franchise-based companies, including 7-Eleven, United Petroleum, Subway, Pizza Hut and Baker’s Delight. With a Senate inquiry due to release its recommendations in February 2016, the Australian Government should action to address the issue prior to the federal election. A range of reforms are needed, including changes to industrial relations laws, ensuring that financial penalties for wage fraud are sufficient to deter the practice, and increasing the powers of the Fair Work Ombudsman.

CORPORATES
7-ELEVEN STORES PTY LTD, UNITED PETROLEUM PTY LTD, SUBWAY SANDWICHES PTY LTD, PIZZA HUT AUSTRALIA, BAKER’S DELIGHT HOLDINGS LIMITED, DOMINO’S PIZZA ENTERPRISES LIMITED – ASX DMP, NANDO’S AUSTRALIA PTY LTD, EAGLE BOYS DIAL A PIZZA AUST PTY LTD, AUSTRALIA. FAIR WORK OMBUDSMAN, AUSTRALIAN TAXATION OFFICE, MAI PTY LTD, FAIRFAX MEDIA LIMITED – ASX FXJ, AUSTRALIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION, FEDERAL CIRCUIT COURT OF AUSTRALIA

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

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

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

Thousands ‘opting out’ of AWU

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Original article by Anthony Klan
The Australian – Page: 2 : 12-Nov-15

The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance & Corruption has identified some disturbing practices at labour unions. Jeremy Stoljar, counsel assisting the commission, states in a submission released on 6 November 2015 that some employers paid membership fees to the Australian Workers’ Union in Victoria on behalf of "phantom members" who did not exist or were automatically signed up to the union without their knowledge.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION-FEDERATION OF INDUSTRIAL, MANUFACTURING AND ENGINEERING EMPLOYEES, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, CLEANEVENT PTY LTD, CHIQUITA MUSHROOMS PTY LTD, THIESS JOHN HOLLAND, WINSLOW CONSTRUCTORS PTY LTD, UNIBUILT PTY LTD

Employers face criminal action over AWU

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Original article by Ewin Hannan
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 5 : 9-Nov-15

Jeremy Stoljar has concluded that federal Opposition Leader Bill Shorten was not involved in criminal or unlawful conduct when he was head of the Australian Workers’ Union (AWU). However, the counsel assisting the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance & Corruption has recommended that commissioner Dyson Heydon should conclude in his findings that former AWU boss Cesar Melhem and several companies may have contravened the Crimes Act regarding payments to the union.

CORPORATES
AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY, AUSTRALIAN WORKERS’ UNION – WORKPLACE REFORM ASSOCIATION INCORPORATED, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, THIESS JOHN HOLLAND, WINSLOW CONSTRUCTORS PTY LTD, ACI PACKAGING SERVICES PTY LTD, CHIQUITA MUSHROOMS PTY LTD

Union shopped at Tiffany’s

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Original article by Lucille Keen
The Australian Financial Review – Page: 1 & 8 : 5-Nov-15

The funds of yet another union have been misused by corrupt officials. Danielle O’Brien, former account manager at the National Union of Workers, admitted that she used union funds for personal purposes. The Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance & Corruption has been told that $A68,395 in total was transferred from the union’s accounts to personal accounts controlled by O’Brien between July 2011 and June 2015.

CORPORATES
NATIONAL UNION OF WORKERS, AUSTRALIA. ROYAL COMMISSION INTO TRADE UNION GOVERNANCE AND CORRUPTION, STOREMEN AND PACKERS UNION, HEALTH SERVICES UNION OF AUSTRALIA, TIFFANY AND COMPANY, AUSTRALIAN LABOR PARTY