‘Have a great life’: Gatto’s message to his building contacts after secret CFMEU meeting revealed

Underworld figure Mick Gatto has attacked CFMEU administrator Mark Irving in a message to building contacts in which he insisted he would not back away from the industry despite the union’s efforts to limit contact with him.

The message was sent following reports in this masthead that Gatto had met with a union official at the request of a CFMEU branch executive, prompting the administrator to publish a draft policy limiting the circumstances under which officials can meet with industry fixers.

Gatto lamented the move to hamper direct communication with him, but said that any dealings with builders “I look after” would have to go directly through him.

“I just want you to know it’s been an absolute pleasure dealing with you, and I am sorry that I can’t deal with you directly anymore. Irving seems to think he is judge and jury and I don’t believe it is legal what he is doing,” Gatto said in the message seen by this masthead.

“I tried to speak to Irving and put him straight many times even high ranking union officials tried on my behalf but he kept having heart attacks and was not interested,” Gatto said, referencing Irving’s multiple visits to the hospital in recent months.

“From now on any dealings with the builders I look after you have to come through me you will be refused entry and instructed by the builders to contact me ... If you want to talk to me about building issues feel free to do so. Otherwise, have a great life my friends,” the message read.

This masthead does not suggest Mark Irving has taken any unlawful action. The administrator was contacted for comment on Gatto’s allegations.

The message was sent after this masthead revealed on Friday morning that government-backed Victorian CFMEU chief Zach Smith had directed a subordinate to secretly meet Gatto, sparking accusations from the opposition that the effort to clean up the union had lost public trust.

The meeting was called to discuss a dispute involving a construction company working for the Melbourne Airport operator.

Minister for Industrial Relations Amanda Rishworth said that criminality and violence had “zero place” in the construction industry and said the appointment of officers in the union was a matter for the administrator.

“The government has full confidence in the administration, as the strongest available action to stamp out corruption, criminality and violence in the construction industry,” Rishworth said in a statement to this masthead. “Changing deeply rooted cultural problems takes time and we are committed to the Administration remaining in place until the job is done.”

Smith, one of the few senior CFMEU figures from the previous leadership to remain in a top role under administrator Mark Irving, apologised on Thursday for directing a union employee to meet with Gatto on September 12.

Irving has ordered an investigation into the meeting and published a new set of rules for the union to limit its contact with industrial fixers such as Gatto. There is no suggestion Gatto, who did not respond to questions from this masthead about the meeting, is guilty of any offence and he has previously denied all wrongdoing in his dealings in the construction industry.

Opposition industrial relations spokesperson Tim Wilson said public trust in Rishworth “has collapsed”.

“When Anthony Albanese’s anointed golden boy is caught facilitating meetings with underworld figures, trust in their process to clean up CFMEU corruption collapses,” Wilson said in a statement.

“The scale of CFMEU cartel kickbacks, corruption and violence is extensive, and the costs are passed on through rising prices to Australians,” Wilson said.

“When corruption is endemic in a union then appointing an administrator is like changing the logo on the letterhead of a sternly worded letter to a union official warning them not to facilitate meetings with underworld figures, and that’s been exposed today.”

Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles said the reports were concerning. He said the government had already acted to root out criminality in the construction industry by tipping the CFMEU into administration.

“We recognise as a government that there is a ... big bit of cultural work that is required in the building and construction industry,” Giles said on Friday.

“That’s why Minister Rishworth brought together industry figures, union figures, and ministers such as myself a couple of weeks ago in the National Construction Industry Forum to demonstrate our resolve to ensure that this industry is turned around and the Australian community can have confidence in it.”

The revelations come less than a month after allegations of violence and intimidation linked to a contractor on the site of the Western Sydney Airport were raised by the CFMEU’s NSW branch.

At Friday’s press conference Giles refused to say whether Smith should keep his job as branch executive, saying it was a matter for the administrator.

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