The Victorian attorney general, Sonya Kilkenny, has launched a scathing attack on the integrity expert Geoffrey Watson SC, describing as "reckless" his claim that corruption at the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU) cost taxpayers at least $15bn.
The estimate comes from redacted chapters of Mr Watson's "Rotting from the Top" report, commissioned by the CFMEU administrator, Mark Irving KC, and submitted during a Queensland inquiry. Mr Watson, a barrister and former counsel assisting the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption, said the figure was a "very rough" estimate based on opinions from "highly qualified stakeholders". Given Victoria's Big Build programme was worth roughly $100bn, and industry sources suggested cost blowouts ranging from 10% to 30%, he settled on 15%, describing it as "probably conservative".
The redacted chapters also alleged the Victorian government "knew and had a duty to know" that corrupt union and underworld figures had infiltrated the Big Build, but chose to do "nothing about it". However, the chapters were removed from the final report by Mr Irving because he was not satisfied they were "well-founded or properly tested".
Ms Kilkenny said in a statement that it was "reckless for anyone to make unfounded claims of a $15bn cost to taxpayers from our Big Build". She added that lawyers must maintain a "clear distinction between allegation and proof". The police minister, Anthony Carbines, accused Mr Watson of offering "lots of florid ramblings" and lacking evidence, urging him to give any evidence to Victoria Police. Mr Watson responded that the ministers' attacks had "crossed a line", saying they had not contacted him to discuss the matter.
The shadow attorney general, James Newbury, said the ministers "aren't fit for their jobs and deserve to be sacked", adding that the government was "so rotten" that they had attacked the anti-corruption expert who had exposed "the worst corruption our state has ever been".
