The Bulldogs Alleged Criminal Sponsor.
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- Start date
Tiger Woods
Well-known member
🤔 Khawd building group 😂
I've forgotten the builder's name.
innsaneink
Well-known member
Aleading building contractor working on major government infrastructure projects including Sydney’s new international airport has been accused of orchestrating a terrifying campaign against union officials investigating claims of worker exploitation.
A provisional report compiled for the CFMEU administrator outlines suspicions the contractor, Future Form, may have been involved in firebombings and repeated threats aimed at the family of a union official investigating the company over worker mistreatment at the rail project servicing the Badgerys Creek airport.
Future Form, which is a key sponsor of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL club, denies all allegations of wrongdoing.
The Future Form allegations in the provisional CFMEU report mark a turning point in the Building Bad scandal because they could implicate a major company, rather than the union, in unlawful activity months after the Albanese government’s intervention in the industry.
The claims come amid calls for greater government intervention to fight organised crime in the construction industry, fresh revelations of an unrelated firebombing spree in Melbourne and Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s pledge that his state’s royal commission will target crooked companies as well as the CFMEU.
Future Form said the union administration’s claims about its links to standover activity and worker exploitation were “entirely false and without foundation”, adding a “refusal to compromise our integrity” had triggered “baseless attacks”.
“We look forward to clearing our name and will fully co-operate with authorities to do so,” chief executive Nabil Hafza said in a statement.
Administration chief investigator Geoffrey Watson, SC, is yet to interview any Future Form personnel, which needs to occur before his provisional report’s conclusions are finalised and tabled in parliament. The investigation was also unable to speak to other key people central to the allegations.
CFMEU NSW executive officer Michael Crosby said he was convinced Future Form was “responsible for the attacks on our organiser”, including a firebombing outside the man’s home and menacing demands allegedly made through an associate.
The interim report outlined suspicions the reason the organiser and his family were targeted over the past year was probably because he was probing allegedly “corrupt conduct by Future Form” and the company was suspected of seeking to “prevent that … from coming to light”.
“A well-liked CFMEU organiser and his family have been attacked,” Watson wrote in his interim report. “The risk is so great that the CFMEU is currently providing security for two of its organisers and their families. It is obvious that those behind these attacks are dangerous.”
The suspicions in Watson’s interim report have not been tested to the standard required in a court, and the Financial Review is not suggesting they have been proven, only that they have been alleged by the union administration and several sources.
Future Form’s website describes the company as a leading structural package contractor in NSW, Queensland and the ACT whose services include formwork – making the framework into which concrete is poured on building projects – scaffolding and concreting.
The suspected “corruption” referred to by Watson involves concerns that Future Form engaged in systemic worker exploitation, denying employees lawful rates of pay, superannuation and income protection entitlements.
One mechanism Future Form is suspected of using is “sham contracting”, an unlawful practice that involves treating employees as subcontractors.
The firm is also accused by the union of major safety breaches at the airport site, exposing workers to possible harm.
Documents suggest that on one site where Future Form was engaging dozens of workers, workers’ compensation records indicated there were just 11 full-time workers.
Watson said the records indicated those 11 workers were also apparently earning “less than $65,000 per worker annually” or less than half of what they should have been paid under the company’s CFMEU agreement.
According to information provided to Watson and Crosby, the targeted CFMEU organiser began to suspect unlawful workplace behaviour by Future Form in October. Shortly after this, his suburban Sydney home was attacked late at night while he was away and his young children and wife slept inside.
CCTV from October shows two masked and hooded men daubing the property with profanity-filled graffiti denouncing the organiser as a paedophile and “CFMEU dog”.
About an hour later, the men returned to cut the home’s power supply, plunging it into darkness.
Three months later, when the organiser forced a temporary halt to work after he uncovered further suspected serious safety and employment breaches involving Future Form on the Western Sydney Airport site, he was allegedly yelled at by a company delegate, who purportedly said: “You hate us – you are biased against us!”
On the same day, January 30, Hafza sent increasingly frustrated texts to the CFMEU organiser, including messages that said “need this resolved right now” and “need this shit resolved”.
CCTV reveals that after midnight on February 1, the union official was sleeping inside with his family when two masked men covered his car and boat in petrol before torching both.
Crosby said the attacks sent a message to “back off” and had scared “the living daylights out of the organiser’s family”. It also led him to stall his Future Form investigation.
But in late June, the organiser ordered an audit of Future Form by issuing “right of entry” notices on the terminal site.
“He got a call from workers on the site saying the place was a complete mess, it was really unsafe, And frankly, to his credit, he thought, ‘OK, I’ve gotta do something about that’,” Crosby said.
Watson’s interim report outlines allegations that a day after the audit notice was issued, the organiser was unexpectedly called by a close associate with a family connection, who is also a construction worker. The associate said he had been “jumped” in a car park by several men who he said claimed to represent Future Form.
According to Watson’s report, the organiser was told: “There’s a carload of them. They followed me from home. They know where your family is at – they say they know they are at the dentist. They even know where I work on the weekend.”
The interim report details allegations the organiser was ordered by the men who confronted his associate to cease investigating Future Form and apologise to its chief executive.
“Tell him to ring Nabil,” the organiser was allegedly told.
“He is scared so he rings Nabil [Hafza], apologises, says he’s backing down,” Crosby said, adding that the organiser was in tears as he recounted the alleged incident.
In his statement to Watson, the organiser said he told Hafza he was sorry for “everything that’s happened”.
The organiser claimed Hafza then thanked him for agreeing to leave Future Form alone, telling him: “Thank you. I care about you. You know we are family; you are my brother. I love you. It didn’t have to come to this. We warned you twice before. You should’ve listened to the warnings. You should’ve understood what they meant.”
This recollection of the conversation has been denied.
Phone and email records obtained by the Financial Review and 60 Minutes confirm Hafza and the organiser spoke at 10.19am on June 26 in a call lasting just under a minute.
The Financial Review has not been able to verify what was said in the phone call, but Watson interviewed a second senior union official who says he heard both sides of the conversation and claimed he heard the organiser apologise to Hafza.
A provisional report compiled for the CFMEU administrator outlines suspicions the contractor, Future Form, may have been involved in firebombings and repeated threats aimed at the family of a union official investigating the company over worker mistreatment at the rail project servicing the Badgerys Creek airport.
Future Form, which is a key sponsor of the Canterbury Bulldogs NRL club, denies all allegations of wrongdoing.
The Future Form allegations in the provisional CFMEU report mark a turning point in the Building Bad scandal because they could implicate a major company, rather than the union, in unlawful activity months after the Albanese government’s intervention in the industry.
The claims come amid calls for greater government intervention to fight organised crime in the construction industry, fresh revelations of an unrelated firebombing spree in Melbourne and Queensland Premier David Crisafulli’s pledge that his state’s royal commission will target crooked companies as well as the CFMEU.
Future Form said the union administration’s claims about its links to standover activity and worker exploitation were “entirely false and without foundation”, adding a “refusal to compromise our integrity” had triggered “baseless attacks”.
“We look forward to clearing our name and will fully co-operate with authorities to do so,” chief executive Nabil Hafza said in a statement.
Administration chief investigator Geoffrey Watson, SC, is yet to interview any Future Form personnel, which needs to occur before his provisional report’s conclusions are finalised and tabled in parliament. The investigation was also unable to speak to other key people central to the allegations.
CFMEU NSW executive officer Michael Crosby said he was convinced Future Form was “responsible for the attacks on our organiser”, including a firebombing outside the man’s home and menacing demands allegedly made through an associate.
The interim report outlined suspicions the reason the organiser and his family were targeted over the past year was probably because he was probing allegedly “corrupt conduct by Future Form” and the company was suspected of seeking to “prevent that … from coming to light”.
“A well-liked CFMEU organiser and his family have been attacked,” Watson wrote in his interim report. “The risk is so great that the CFMEU is currently providing security for two of its organisers and their families. It is obvious that those behind these attacks are dangerous.”
The suspicions in Watson’s interim report have not been tested to the standard required in a court, and the Financial Review is not suggesting they have been proven, only that they have been alleged by the union administration and several sources.
Future Form’s website describes the company as a leading structural package contractor in NSW, Queensland and the ACT whose services include formwork – making the framework into which concrete is poured on building projects – scaffolding and concreting.
The suspected “corruption” referred to by Watson involves concerns that Future Form engaged in systemic worker exploitation, denying employees lawful rates of pay, superannuation and income protection entitlements.
One mechanism Future Form is suspected of using is “sham contracting”, an unlawful practice that involves treating employees as subcontractors.
The firm is also accused by the union of major safety breaches at the airport site, exposing workers to possible harm.
Documents suggest that on one site where Future Form was engaging dozens of workers, workers’ compensation records indicated there were just 11 full-time workers.
Watson said the records indicated those 11 workers were also apparently earning “less than $65,000 per worker annually” or less than half of what they should have been paid under the company’s CFMEU agreement.
According to information provided to Watson and Crosby, the targeted CFMEU organiser began to suspect unlawful workplace behaviour by Future Form in October. Shortly after this, his suburban Sydney home was attacked late at night while he was away and his young children and wife slept inside.
CCTV from October shows two masked and hooded men daubing the property with profanity-filled graffiti denouncing the organiser as a paedophile and “CFMEU dog”.
About an hour later, the men returned to cut the home’s power supply, plunging it into darkness.
Three months later, when the organiser forced a temporary halt to work after he uncovered further suspected serious safety and employment breaches involving Future Form on the Western Sydney Airport site, he was allegedly yelled at by a company delegate, who purportedly said: “You hate us – you are biased against us!”
On the same day, January 30, Hafza sent increasingly frustrated texts to the CFMEU organiser, including messages that said “need this resolved right now” and “need this shit resolved”.
CCTV reveals that after midnight on February 1, the union official was sleeping inside with his family when two masked men covered his car and boat in petrol before torching both.
Crosby said the attacks sent a message to “back off” and had scared “the living daylights out of the organiser’s family”. It also led him to stall his Future Form investigation.
But in late June, the organiser ordered an audit of Future Form by issuing “right of entry” notices on the terminal site.
“He got a call from workers on the site saying the place was a complete mess, it was really unsafe, And frankly, to his credit, he thought, ‘OK, I’ve gotta do something about that’,” Crosby said.
Watson’s interim report outlines allegations that a day after the audit notice was issued, the organiser was unexpectedly called by a close associate with a family connection, who is also a construction worker. The associate said he had been “jumped” in a car park by several men who he said claimed to represent Future Form.
According to Watson’s report, the organiser was told: “There’s a carload of them. They followed me from home. They know where your family is at – they say they know they are at the dentist. They even know where I work on the weekend.”
The interim report details allegations the organiser was ordered by the men who confronted his associate to cease investigating Future Form and apologise to its chief executive.
“Tell him to ring Nabil,” the organiser was allegedly told.
“He is scared so he rings Nabil [Hafza], apologises, says he’s backing down,” Crosby said, adding that the organiser was in tears as he recounted the alleged incident.
In his statement to Watson, the organiser said he told Hafza he was sorry for “everything that’s happened”.
The organiser claimed Hafza then thanked him for agreeing to leave Future Form alone, telling him: “Thank you. I care about you. You know we are family; you are my brother. I love you. It didn’t have to come to this. We warned you twice before. You should’ve listened to the warnings. You should’ve understood what they meant.”
This recollection of the conversation has been denied.
Phone and email records obtained by the Financial Review and 60 Minutes confirm Hafza and the organiser spoke at 10.19am on June 26 in a call lasting just under a minute.
The Financial Review has not been able to verify what was said in the phone call, but Watson interviewed a second senior union official who says he heard both sides of the conversation and claimed he heard the organiser apologise to Hafza.
innsaneink
Well-known member
The second official, who the Financial Review is not naming due to safety concerns, said he heard the organiser tell Hafza he was sorry and, “It won’t happen again”. He said he then heard Hafza say: “I know, I love you, mate.”
Documents show the organiser’s Future Form inspection notice was withdrawn by the official five minutes after he spoke to Hafza, at 10.24am.
After issuing a statement dismissing all claims of unlawful activity, Hafza did not respond to further questions about the specific allegations made by the organiser.
Crosby is a union leader with no building industry experience and was appointed to lead the CFMEU’s embattled NSW branch eight weeks ago. He said the organiser had now left the union.
On Friday, after he led a series of lightning workplace raids on Future Form sites, Crosby released a statement saying he was “confident that Future Form are guilty of engaging a significant number of sham contractors on the Western Sydney Airport site”.
“We are continuing to assess the exact level of underpayment of superannuation and redundancy scheme payments. It is likely that we will identify well over a million dollars in underpayments,” he claimed.
Future Form works on some of the nation’s biggest taxpayer-funded projects, including the Australian War Memorial redevelopment and the metro line to the western Sydney airport, the largest public-private partnership in NSW history.
Other major projects include Multiplex’s 31-storey apartment tower in Margaret Street, Brisbane, and its beachfront reconstruction in Manly. Mirvac enlisted the company on a 55-storey office tower in Sydney’s CBD and on an $830 million residential project in West Pennant Hills. Both builders said they were not aware of any material safety or compliance issues with Future Form on their sites.
In his interim report, Watson said it was suspected Future Form was previously one of multiple companies that “enjoyed inappropriate favouritism from Darren Greenfield”, the corrupt ex-CFMEU boss who was sacked last year and who recently admitted to taking bribes from a Chinese building firm.
Watson’s report cited two examples of Greenfield directing union officials to leave Future Form alone despite concerns about its treatment of workers.
A source close to Future Form said its workers were engaged through different companies and only a small minority would get paid the rate required by the CFMEU enterprise agreement. Many were paid under ABNs, claimed the source, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Crosby said Future Form was just one of several companies the union believed were prospering on government sites despite concerns about their integrity or links to suspected criminals.
In a letter sent to several major federal and state government infrastructure contractors last week, he described in general terms how ethical builders were being excluded from NSW government work because contracts were awarded to “builders who cut corners” or companies that undercut their market “through the use of money laundering”.
Crosby also said the union was planning a lobbying campaign aimed at the Minns’ government to prevent major government projects hosting subcontractors with criminal connections.
“We will use all the lobbying power we might have in ensuring that the NSW government adjusts its procurement practices … I am concerned at the degree to which criminal gangs have infiltrated the industry,” he said.
In a statement, the AFP said it has “no involvement in the selection or management of builders (or subcontractors) at the Western Sydney International Airport”.
The federal police has a team of about three investigators probing unlawful conduct in the building industry, which the AFP said could be expanded as needed.
In contrast, Victoria Police’s Taskforce Hawk has about nine detectives probing alleged corruption and crime in the construction sector.
Queensland and NSW have no police taskforces, despite repeated pleas from the CFMEU administration for greater law enforcement help.
The concerns about the NSW industry mirror allegations by Watson that Victorian Labor’s Big Build infrastructure plan had become a feeding ground for bikie gangs.
Separately, it can be revealed that police in Melbourne have uncovered CCTV of a firebombing in early April of two cars at a major Victorian construction firm owner’s home as a young family slept inside.
It is one of more than 20 unsolved gangland-style attacks across Australia targeting building-sector players since late 2023 – including the suspected torching of the business premises of the ex-wife of former union boss John Setka. Setka is not accused of any involvement in the fire and his ex-wife could not be reached for comment.
The firebombings include many since the Albanese government moved to clean up the industry after last year’s Building Bad revelations, with authorities so far unable to stop the attacks or identify perpetrators.
In a statement, Victoria Police said investigators from Hawk were working with the arson squad in connection to the Melbourne attack in April.
Crisafulli has vowed that his state’s coming royal commission-style inquiry will probe companies suspected of engaging in unlawful behaviour, including Future Form.
“The commission of inquiry won’t be one-sided,” he said, adding his government would look to abolish the CFMEU. “I don’t see how they can have a place in a modern Queensland. I don’t believe they are able to be reformed.”
www.afr.com
Documents show the organiser’s Future Form inspection notice was withdrawn by the official five minutes after he spoke to Hafza, at 10.24am.
After issuing a statement dismissing all claims of unlawful activity, Hafza did not respond to further questions about the specific allegations made by the organiser.
Crosby is a union leader with no building industry experience and was appointed to lead the CFMEU’s embattled NSW branch eight weeks ago. He said the organiser had now left the union.
On Friday, after he led a series of lightning workplace raids on Future Form sites, Crosby released a statement saying he was “confident that Future Form are guilty of engaging a significant number of sham contractors on the Western Sydney Airport site”.
“We are continuing to assess the exact level of underpayment of superannuation and redundancy scheme payments. It is likely that we will identify well over a million dollars in underpayments,” he claimed.
Future Form works on some of the nation’s biggest taxpayer-funded projects, including the Australian War Memorial redevelopment and the metro line to the western Sydney airport, the largest public-private partnership in NSW history.
Other major projects include Multiplex’s 31-storey apartment tower in Margaret Street, Brisbane, and its beachfront reconstruction in Manly. Mirvac enlisted the company on a 55-storey office tower in Sydney’s CBD and on an $830 million residential project in West Pennant Hills. Both builders said they were not aware of any material safety or compliance issues with Future Form on their sites.
In his interim report, Watson said it was suspected Future Form was previously one of multiple companies that “enjoyed inappropriate favouritism from Darren Greenfield”, the corrupt ex-CFMEU boss who was sacked last year and who recently admitted to taking bribes from a Chinese building firm.
Watson’s report cited two examples of Greenfield directing union officials to leave Future Form alone despite concerns about its treatment of workers.
A source close to Future Form said its workers were engaged through different companies and only a small minority would get paid the rate required by the CFMEU enterprise agreement. Many were paid under ABNs, claimed the source, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Crosby said Future Form was just one of several companies the union believed were prospering on government sites despite concerns about their integrity or links to suspected criminals.
In a letter sent to several major federal and state government infrastructure contractors last week, he described in general terms how ethical builders were being excluded from NSW government work because contracts were awarded to “builders who cut corners” or companies that undercut their market “through the use of money laundering”.
Crosby also said the union was planning a lobbying campaign aimed at the Minns’ government to prevent major government projects hosting subcontractors with criminal connections.
“We will use all the lobbying power we might have in ensuring that the NSW government adjusts its procurement practices … I am concerned at the degree to which criminal gangs have infiltrated the industry,” he said.
In a statement, the AFP said it has “no involvement in the selection or management of builders (or subcontractors) at the Western Sydney International Airport”.
The federal police has a team of about three investigators probing unlawful conduct in the building industry, which the AFP said could be expanded as needed.
In contrast, Victoria Police’s Taskforce Hawk has about nine detectives probing alleged corruption and crime in the construction sector.
Queensland and NSW have no police taskforces, despite repeated pleas from the CFMEU administration for greater law enforcement help.
The concerns about the NSW industry mirror allegations by Watson that Victorian Labor’s Big Build infrastructure plan had become a feeding ground for bikie gangs.
Separately, it can be revealed that police in Melbourne have uncovered CCTV of a firebombing in early April of two cars at a major Victorian construction firm owner’s home as a young family slept inside.
It is one of more than 20 unsolved gangland-style attacks across Australia targeting building-sector players since late 2023 – including the suspected torching of the business premises of the ex-wife of former union boss John Setka. Setka is not accused of any involvement in the fire and his ex-wife could not be reached for comment.
The firebombings include many since the Albanese government moved to clean up the industry after last year’s Building Bad revelations, with authorities so far unable to stop the attacks or identify perpetrators.
In a statement, Victoria Police said investigators from Hawk were working with the arson squad in connection to the Melbourne attack in April.
Crisafulli has vowed that his state’s coming royal commission-style inquiry will probe companies suspected of engaging in unlawful behaviour, including Future Form.
“The commission of inquiry won’t be one-sided,” he said, adding his government would look to abolish the CFMEU. “I don’t see how they can have a place in a modern Queensland. I don’t believe they are able to be reformed.”
Major contractor, NRL sponsor accused of intimidation campaign
While working on sensitive public projects, this company is also alleged to have intimidated a senior union organiser, threatened his family and attacked his home.
Tim Sheens
Well-known member
Unsurprised.
Well done on digging this article up iink.The second official, who the Financial Review is not naming due to safety concerns, said he heard the organiser tell Hafza he was sorry and, “It won’t happen again”. He said he then heard Hafza say: “I know, I love you, mate.”
Documents show the organiser’s Future Form inspection notice was withdrawn by the official five minutes after he spoke to Hafza, at 10.24am.
After issuing a statement dismissing all claims of unlawful activity, Hafza did not respond to further questions about the specific allegations made by the organiser.
Crosby is a union leader with no building industry experience and was appointed to lead the CFMEU’s embattled NSW branch eight weeks ago. He said the organiser had now left the union.
On Friday, after he led a series of lightning workplace raids on Future Form sites, Crosby released a statement saying he was “confident that Future Form are guilty of engaging a significant number of sham contractors on the Western Sydney Airport site”.
“We are continuing to assess the exact level of underpayment of superannuation and redundancy scheme payments. It is likely that we will identify well over a million dollars in underpayments,” he claimed.
Future Form works on some of the nation’s biggest taxpayer-funded projects, including the Australian War Memorial redevelopment and the metro line to the western Sydney airport, the largest public-private partnership in NSW history.
Other major projects include Multiplex’s 31-storey apartment tower in Margaret Street, Brisbane, and its beachfront reconstruction in Manly. Mirvac enlisted the company on a 55-storey office tower in Sydney’s CBD and on an $830 million residential project in West Pennant Hills. Both builders said they were not aware of any material safety or compliance issues with Future Form on their sites.
In his interim report, Watson said it was suspected Future Form was previously one of multiple companies that “enjoyed inappropriate favouritism from Darren Greenfield”, the corrupt ex-CFMEU boss who was sacked last year and who recently admitted to taking bribes from a Chinese building firm.
Watson’s report cited two examples of Greenfield directing union officials to leave Future Form alone despite concerns about its treatment of workers.
A source close to Future Form said its workers were engaged through different companies and only a small minority would get paid the rate required by the CFMEU enterprise agreement. Many were paid under ABNs, claimed the source, speaking on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.
Crosby said Future Form was just one of several companies the union believed were prospering on government sites despite concerns about their integrity or links to suspected criminals.
In a letter sent to several major federal and state government infrastructure contractors last week, he described in general terms how ethical builders were being excluded from NSW government work because contracts were awarded to “builders who cut corners” or companies that undercut their market “through the use of money laundering”.
Crosby also said the union was planning a lobbying campaign aimed at the Minns’ government to prevent major government projects hosting subcontractors with criminal connections.
“We will use all the lobbying power we might have in ensuring that the NSW government adjusts its procurement practices … I am concerned at the degree to which criminal gangs have infiltrated the industry,” he said.
In a statement, the AFP said it has “no involvement in the selection or management of builders (or subcontractors) at the Western Sydney International Airport”.
The federal police has a team of about three investigators probing unlawful conduct in the building industry, which the AFP said could be expanded as needed.
In contrast, Victoria Police’s Taskforce Hawk has about nine detectives probing alleged corruption and crime in the construction sector.
Queensland and NSW have no police taskforces, despite repeated pleas from the CFMEU administration for greater law enforcement help.
The concerns about the NSW industry mirror allegations by Watson that Victorian Labor’s Big Build infrastructure plan had become a feeding ground for bikie gangs.
Separately, it can be revealed that police in Melbourne have uncovered CCTV of a firebombing in early April of two cars at a major Victorian construction firm owner’s home as a young family slept inside.
It is one of more than 20 unsolved gangland-style attacks across Australia targeting building-sector players since late 2023 – including the suspected torching of the business premises of the ex-wife of former union boss John Setka. Setka is not accused of any involvement in the fire and his ex-wife could not be reached for comment.
The firebombings include many since the Albanese government moved to clean up the industry after last year’s Building Bad revelations, with authorities so far unable to stop the attacks or identify perpetrators.
In a statement, Victoria Police said investigators from Hawk were working with the arson squad in connection to the Melbourne attack in April.
Crisafulli has vowed that his state’s coming royal commission-style inquiry will probe companies suspected of engaging in unlawful behaviour, including Future Form.
“The commission of inquiry won’t be one-sided,” he said, adding his government would look to abolish the CFMEU. “I don’t see how they can have a place in a modern Queensland. I don’t believe they are able to be reformed.”
Major contractor, NRL sponsor accused of intimidation campaign
While working on sensitive public projects, this company is also alleged to have intimidated a senior union organiser, threatened his family and attacked his home.
Could be very interesting to see who gets caught up in any inquiries.
And someone in the Bulldogs didn't check their sponsors credentials before taking them onboard.
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