Sex toy claim, allegations of drugs on site to keep workers awake hit North East Link

Victoria’s $26 billion North East Link toll road has been hit by allegations of drug taking on site and sexually inappropriate behaviour, prompting an investigation from the project’s construction consortium.

Workers have been accused of taking pills to stay awake, trying to source “mushie gummies” and exchanging a picture of a sex toy, in affidavits that paint a picture of serious misconduct on the Big Build road.

The sworn statements were provided to the Spark consortium and have caused a widened inquiry about potential breaches of the code of conduct.

The allegations under review include that staff engaged in sexually explicit conversations, that one sent a photo of a sex toy to a fellow worker and there were conversations about sourcing drugs.

In one affidavit, witnessed by a justice of the peace and seen by this masthead, a worker says sexualised talk was normalised on site and he was offered drugs. It offers a photo and screenshots of messages between workers to back the claims.

Another worker is accused of “providing pills from what appeared to be a prescription medication jar to fellow workers that I later was informed was being used to keep people awake”.

The allegations come just weeks after an independent report into the CFMEU by integrity expert Geoffrey Watson, SC, alleged taxpayer-funded projects hosted drug trafficking, systemic corruption and bribery, bikie gangs and sexual exploitation of women.

The allegations made in these affidavits, seen by The Age, do not involve CFMEU figures, but do make serious accusations about behaviour on the project.

The two affidavits containing the worksite allegations have been provided to Spark’s ethics committee. Spark is responsible for delivering the 6.4-kilometre twin tunnels that form the largest part of the North East Link, which will connect the Eastern Freeway in Bulleen with the Metropolitan Ring Road at Greensborough.

“Spark has a code of conduct that applies to all employees and subcontractors and sets clear expectations around integrity, respect and lawful behaviour,” a spokeswoman said. “Behaviour that breaches the code of conduct is taken seriously and is investigated by the Spark ethics committee.

“As this is an ongoing investigation, it would be inappropriate to comment further at this time.”

Another part of an affidavit says a staff member ran errands for a colleague who had given people a “leg-up over the years”.

VIDA told The Age on Tuesday the allegations had been referred to the Workforce Inspectorate for assessment.

The worksite claims come after an incident in January during tunnelling for the project caused a large sinkhole to appear in Heidelberg’s AJ Burkitt Oval.

Watson’s Rotting from the Top report into the CFMEU, released to a Queensland inquiry into the union, alleged some Big Build worksites were converted by bikies into drug distribution centres.

Redacted sections of the report, removed by the union administrator but released to the inquiry following questions from this masthead, also accused the Victorian government of turning a blind eye to CFMEU corruption and organised crime on infrastructure projects.

Watson’s redacted chapter estimated this behaviour cost roughly $15 billion across the government’s $100 billion infrastructure program. Fair Work Commission chief Murray Furlong told a Senate estimates hearing that he had heard similar figures from Victorian government officials.

Premier Jacinta Allan has denied this figure, labelling it untested, while continuing to rebuff calls for a royal commission.

On Tuesday, Allan said she was still considering a report from a parliamentary committee that recommends giving the state’s corruption watchdog, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, the power to follow taxpayer dollars to subcontractors and labour-hire companies regularly used on construction sites.

“We need to consider that report appropriately, because these are serious matters,” she said.

Allan said 70 charges had been laid by Victoria Police and 126 construction licences cancelled through strengthened powers for the Labour Hire Authority.

On Monday, Jobs Minister Danny Pearson confirmed he had received a “small number” of corruption complaints while heading up his previous portfolio of transport infrastructure. However, he said they were “concerns of a general nature” and he had not received briefings of any alleged criminality.

Pearson said he became aware of systemic problems in the middle of 2024 when this masthead, The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes released their Building Bad investigation into coercion and widespread infiltration of organised crime on taxpayer-funded projects.

Construction giant Lendlease was asked on an earnings call on Monday whether it had been the target of any criminal activity by the CFMEU or if it was helping the various investigations into the union’s activities.

Lendlease chief executive Tony Lombardo said that if there was an issue, “we make sure there’s early escalation back to the appropriate stakeholders”.

“We always follow the law when it comes to how we operate and follow within the guidelines,” Lombardo said. “We’re making sure our people on our sites are safe and we’ve got productive workplaces.”

Lendlease is undertaking major projects at 889 Collins Street and Exhibition Place in Melbourne and Victoria Cross and One Circular Quay in Sydney.

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