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Canberra Today 17°/20° | Friday, March 29, 2024 | Digital Edition | Crossword & Sudoku

Former CFMEU official Fihi Kivalu arrested after giving evidence at the Trade Union Royal Commission

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THIS afternoon ACT Policing arrested a 39 year-old Queanbeyan man following the Canberra hearings of the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance and Corruption.

Police say enquiries are continuing and it would not be appropriate to make any further comment at this point.

The Australian Federal Police Taskforce attached to the Royal Commission into Trade Union Governance is urging members of the ACT and NSW regional community to come forward and report matters relating to union governance and corruption.

The Royal Commission, through a Police Taskforce is working in conjunction the Australian Federal Police, to continue to investigate matters relating to union governance and corruption. The Commission is further supported by other such taskforces in Queensland, NSW and Victoria.

Commission hearings began in the ACT on July 13 and are expected to run until the end of July.

Anyone who wishes to contact the AFP investigation team can do so via the email address turc-act@afp.gov.au, report via the Crime Stoppers website (act.crimestoppers.com.au) or by phoning 1800 333 000. Information provided will be treated with utmost confidentiality.


UPDATE: The CFMEU national office has made the following statement:

A number of employers gave evidence of paying money to former CFMEU official Halafihi Kivalu in the Union Royal Commission on Monday and Tuesday this week in Canberra.

There was no evidence from employers that the union was aware of these payments or that any other officer was involved.

On Thursday Mr Kivalu in both his testimony and in a written statement admitted to receiving tens of thousands of dollars from employers.

Mr Kivalu also gave evidence that no one at the CFMEU knew of the payments.

Mr Kivalu’s employment with the ACT branch of the CFMEU was terminated in October 2014.

He was expelled as a member of the union on Tuesday.

Mr Kivalu was arrested on Thursday 16 July shortly after giving evidence. His arrest is a matter for the criminal justice system.

The CFMEU urges any employer that is asked for a bribe to go to the police.

The leadership commends all the honest, hardworking officials and delegates who represent the union in their workplaces. We want them to know that we won’t allow the good work they do and the reputation of the union to be tarnished and undone by corruption.

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Thank you,

Ian Meikle, editor

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