Victoria: A former officer of the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union (CFMEU), Paul Tzimas, has appeared before the Royal Commission into the integrity of major public and civil infrastructure projects in Victoria.
Tzimas is the first CFMEU official to testify directly before the commission, which is currently examining safety practices and governance at large-scale construction sites across the state. He described being assaulted on-site during an active project at Gap Road, Sunbury—a location central to ongoing hearings this month.
The Assault
Tzimas said he sustained a fractured ankle after being attacked by individuals linked to builders and developers. His colleague suffered more severe injuries: a broken eye socket, damage to teeth, partial loss of vision, and post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD).
He stated that while no specific date or site was provided in official records, his assessment is that those responsible may have been affiliated with an outlaw bikie gang. He did not identify the group but emphasized that such connections are plausible based on known patterns within construction sectors in Victoria.
Mick Gatto’s Attendance
About one week after the assault, Tzimas said a meeting between union officials and project managers—organized by builders—was convened. At this meeting, Mick Gatto, described as an underworld figure working for developers, attended.
Gatto has previously been associated with development projects through informal arrangements aimed at resolving disputes over timelines or costs. According to Tzimas, Gatto offered him a gold bracelet shortly afterward.
Tzimas initially declined the gift, citing concerns about perceptions of impropriety given his role in public infrastructure safety advocacy. He acknowledged that the item was not 'a worthless trinket' but rather one with symbolic value.
He explained that after discussing it with Gatto, he accepted it because Gatto said it represented an ‘olive branch’—an expression of goodwill despite having held a negative view of him as a union official. Gatto reportedly believed Tzimas had been judged harshly during prior interactions and saw the gesture as reconciliation between former adversaries.
Other Gifts
Tzimas confirmed that other CFMEU officials also received gold bracelets from Gatto in similar circumstances, suggesting a pattern of interaction beyond individual incidents.
Union Involvement With Convicted Individual
The commission also asked about a letter drafted by the CFMEU on behalf of a man convicted of manslaughter seeking parole. Tzimas said he did not fully understand why the union supported this case but noted his father had previously served as a union delegate—possibly influencing the decision.
Counsel Chris Carr read out 15 names to Tzimas and asked whether all were members of bikie gangs or affiliated with them. Tzimas confirmed that 11 of those individuals are known to be associated with such groups, though no direct link was established between any of these men and the assault at Gap Road.
Project Context
The project under review—the removal of an intersection on Gap Road in Sunbury—is currently being examined by the commission for safety lapses and governance failures. Union action led to a temporary halt in construction before work resumed after a meeting held on June 7, 2022.
In that meeting, union officials demanded that their own health and safety representative—and affiliated traffic management and labour hire companies—be appointed directly onto the site as conditions for resuming operations.
Tzimas’s testimony underscores concerns about potential conflicts between developers, unions, and individuals with ties to organized networks within Victoria's construction industry. The commission has not yet concluded whether any formal misconduct or breach of protocol occurred during these events.
As of this reporting, hearings continue under Commissioner Christopher Kourakis. No official findings have been released regarding the assault allegations or Gatto’s role in subsequent meetings.