A company linked to a man facing drug trafficking and shooting charges has been supplying heavy machinery to some of Victoria’s largest publicly funded construction projects, VCN can reveal. The arrangement has prompted renewed questions about how subcontractors are vetted on major taxpayer-funded sites.
The man, a former member of an outlaw motorcycle club, was charged earlier this year with trafficking a commercial quantity of cocaine and with discharging a firearm with intent to cause injury. He is yet to enter a plea and the matter remains before the courts.
What police allege #
Victoria Police alleges the 41-year-old man, who cannot be further identified for legal reasons connected to separate proceedings, was involved in the distribution of cocaine across Melbourne’s north and west over an 18-month period. Police further allege he discharged a firearm during an altercation at a private address, wounding another man who was taken to hospital with injuries police described as non-life-threatening.
In a statement, Victoria Police said detectives from the Clandestine Laboratory Squad and the Echo Taskforce, which targets outlaw motorcycle gangs, executed search warrants at properties linked to the accused, and that further charges “may follow as the investigation continues”. The man was remanded in custody before being granted bail on strict conditions, including a curfew and surrender of his passport. He has not entered a plea to either charge.
Court documents seen by VCN show the alleged shooting and the alleged trafficking are being treated as separate but related matters, with prosecutors flagging that evidence from both investigations may be led at a committal hearing expected later this year.
The business link #
VCN understands the man is listed as a director of a plant-hire company that leases excavators, piling rigs and other heavy equipment to construction contractors. Corporate records show the company has operated in Victoria for close to a decade and holds equipment contracts with tier-one builders working on major state infrastructure projects, including elements of the Big Build program.
Sources close to the industry have told VCN the company’s machinery has been used on works connected to level crossing removal projects and road upgrade packages in Melbourne’s outer suburbs, though VCN has not been able to independently confirm the precise sites or current contract status. We have approached the company for comment and will update this article if a response is received.
It is understood the charges against the man relate to his personal conduct and not to the operations of the company itself, and there is no suggestion the business or its other staff are implicated in the alleged offending.
How subcontractors get onto Big Build sites #
For readers unfamiliar with how major infrastructure projects work, head contractors on Big Build projects — the state’s multi-billion-dollar pipeline of road, rail and level-crossing works — are required to engage subcontractors and suppliers through a tender and prequalification process administered under state procurement rules. Machinery and plant-hire firms typically fall into a lower-tier supply category, meaning the scrutiny applied to them is generally less intensive than that applied to the managing head contractor.
Industry sources have told VCN that background checks on plant-hire subcontractors usually focus on safety accreditation, insurance and financial standing rather than the personal history of company directors, unless a director’s conduct directly affects the business’s licensing or workplace safety record.
Government response #
A spokesperson for the Department of Transport and Planning said in a statement that the department “takes probity and integrity on all publicly funded projects seriously” and that “any allegations involving contractors or subcontractors are a matter for Victoria Police.” The spokesperson said head contractors were contractually responsible for ensuring subcontractors met safety and compliance obligations, and that the department would “review any relevant information” provided by law enforcement.
The Victorian Building Authority was also contacted for comment. A spokesperson said it does not comment on individual companies or ongoing police matters but confirmed that plant-hire and machinery supply firms are not required to hold a builder’s licence in the same way as construction contractors, meaning oversight of such firms sits largely outside its jurisdiction.
A pattern IBAC has flagged before #
This is not the first time questions have been raised about the adequacy of probity checks in Victoria’s construction supply chain. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has previously examined, in separate operations, how organised crime figures and outlaw motorcycle gang members have sought to establish legitimate business fronts — including in waste management, demolition and plant hire — partly to access large commercial contracts and partly to launder proceeds of crime.
IBAC’s public reporting has noted that infrastructure booms create opportunities for such infiltration because of the sheer volume of subcontracting required and the pressure on builders to keep projects moving to deadline. IBAC has not made any findings in relation to the company named in this article, and VCN makes no suggestion that the company’s inclusion on Big Build projects involved any wrongdoing by builders or government agencies.
What happens next #
The man is next due to appear in court later this year, when the matter is expected to be mentioned ahead of a committal hearing. Victoria Police said the investigation into the alleged trafficking network remains active and that it could not rule out further arrests.
VCN will continue to monitor the court proceedings and any developments relating to the company’s contracts on public infrastructure projects. The matter is currently before the courts. All persons charged are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
Readers with information relevant to this investigation can contact Crime Stoppers on 1800 333 000. Anyone affected by family violence can contact Safe Steps on 1800 015 188. Support is also available through Lifeline on 13 11 14 and Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636.
