Wednesday, 18 February 2026

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:27): My question is to the Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop. Minister, Fair Work Commission general manager Murray Furlong has warned that workers and union delegates with links to bikies and organised crime have allegedly infiltrated the Suburban Rail Loop. Are there outlaw motorcycle gang members or organised crime groups on SRL sites right now?

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:28): Thanks, Mr Mulholland, for the opportunity to talk to the importance of safe workplaces that are free from criminal, unlawful or dangerous work. Mr Mulholland, I want to be very, very clear in the answer that I give you today that it is my expectation that anybody with any concerns, complaints or allegations about criminal, unlawful or unsafe behaviour on Suburban Rail Loop sites will report and escalate that immediately as a matter of urgency.

Mr Mulholland, when Mr Furlong gave his evidence to a Senate estimates committee, he made a number of claims and assertions. He expressed a number of opinions, as he also did when he was engaged by the ABCC, and in doing so he did this backing in a draft report which was ultimately not approved by the independent administrator of the CFMEU – a union placed into administration not by the Morrison government, not by a coalition government, but by Prime Minister Albanese in taking decisive action to not only identify criminal, unlawful or unsafe behaviour on construction sites but to stamp it out and to prevent it from occurring again. Now, as has been made abundantly clear time and time again, it is our expectation that any allegations of criminal or unlawful –

Evan Mulholland interjected.

Harriet SHING: You do not want to hear the answer, Mr Mulholland?

Evan Mulholland: On a point of order, President, on relevance, I have given the minister plenty of time. The question was about whether there are outlaw motorcycle gang members and organised crime groups on SRL sites right now.

The PRESIDENT: I believe the minister has been relevant to the question. Also, there is the level of detail, which has been a precedent as well.

Members interjecting.

The PRESIDENT: When I am externalising my thoughts as far as precedents and what is inside the standing orders we all voted on at the start of the term, I do not think I need all the groans. I do not care really, but I do not probably need them, because I am trying to be honest with the chamber. I am open to points of order on externalising my thoughts about previous rulings and what is in the standing orders. I believe the minister has been relevant to the question, and I will ask her to continue.

Harriet SHING: Thank you, Mr Mulholland. It is a shame that you described my description of the general manager of the Fair Work Commission as an insult when in fact it was your government that introduced the ABCC in the first place. But let us just be very, very clear: there is zero tolerance for criminal, unlawful or unsafe behaviour on work sites. As you would be aware, Mr Mulholland, Victoria Police is empowered to investigate criminal behaviour. Outlaw motorcycle gangs have been banned from attendance at any government sites. That has been very, very clear from legislation that we have passed in this place. Victoria Police is empowered to remove anybody from these sites where those issues are raised. In addition to that, we have raised fit and proper person tests in relation to government sites, and the Victorian Labour Hire Authority and a range of other authorities, including Victoria Police, are empowered to take action where any matters of that nature might arise. Mr Mulholland, if you have any evidence, if you have any concerns or complaints or if anybody else has any concerns, complaints or allegations, I would urge them to raise these matters with Victoria Police, particularly on the basis that they may well contravene the banning of outlaw motorcycle gangs from any construction sites in Victoria.

 Evan MULHOLLAND (Northern Metropolitan) (12:32): Minister, in addition to reports that gangs and criminals have moved on from the Metro Tunnel to the Suburban Rail Loop, it was reported in the Age yesterday that a major Big Build subcontractor had allegedly gifted expensive utes and jet skis to project managers on the Suburban Rail Loop. It is reported that contractors were removed from the project. Were the project managers removed also?

The PRESIDENT: I will let the minister answer as she sees fit.

 Harriet SHING (Eastern Victoria – Minister for the Suburban Rail Loop, Minister for Housing and Building, Minister for Development Victoria and Precincts) (12:33): Thank you, Mr Mulholland. We have traversed this ground on a number of occasions, but I am very happy to go there again. There is zero tolerance for any criminal, unlawful or unsafe conduct on any government site, including the Suburban Rail Loop. Now, there was correspondence issued by the Suburban Rail Loop Authority to head contractors in August 2024, Mr Mulholland, in relation to the zero tolerance for any of these behaviours on construction sites and emphasising the Suburban Rail Loop Authority’s expectations in relation to the prevention of behaviour and the requirement to report any matters of this nature to Victoria Police, which as I indicated in my answer to the substantive question, is empowered through the outlawing of motorcycle gangs on Victorian government sites and the capacity the Victorian government and Victoria Police have to ensure that these people are removed from any sites. The Anonymous Speak Up hotline, the VIDA Stopline, the construction complaints referral service, WorkSafe and other bodies exist. I would encourage you to urge anybody with these complaints to escalate – (Time expired)