Tuesday, 2 December 2025

“Minister Rishworth risks being complicit in a cover-up if she doesn’t immediately release Geoffrey Watson SC’s report into the Victorian CFMEU’s violence and corruption”, said Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations & Employment, Tim Wilson.

According to evidence provided by Mr Watson to the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU and the misconduct in the construction industry on Tuesday, 18 November 2025, he “was producing a report on 1 December … on the position in Victoria”.

According to Watson his report has “a broader remit”, than his report into violence in the Queensland CFMEU, where public servants alleged intimidation from CFMEU officials that said you’re working for us now”, following the election of a State Labor government.

“It is understandable Minister Rishworth is conflicted since the head of the Victorian CFMEU, Zach Smith, is still a key adviser through her National Construction Industry Forum, but her responsibility is to Australians. This is precisely why we called for Mr Smith to be replaced by the CFMEU Administrator on the NCIF”, Mr Wilson said.

“The inquiry into the Victorian CFMEU is now available to the Administrator, Minister Rishworth and the Fair Work Commission – they have a responsibility to release it immediately, so Australians knows how deep the corruption well is”, Mr Wilson said.

“If the Minister or Fair Work have not sought a copy of the report, they must address this negligence and release it immediately”, Mr Wilson said.

“The Minister will be tempted to release the report at 6pm on Christmas Eve to suffocate attention to the report’s conclusions on violence and corruption, but doing so will reinforce the Minister is siding with the CFMEU, not Australians”, Mr Wilson said.

Only last week the Fair Work Commission’s General Manager, Murray Furlong, said “of the 95 reports that identified a project by name that we are aware has received government funding, more than 45 per cent relate to projects in Victoria”.

“Now is the time for the Minister to show she is siding against corruption and violence in the Victorian CFMEU and is on the side of taxpayers”, Mr Wilson said.

ENDS