Full Breakdown
Premier Ben Carroll Declines to Return Labor Donations Amid CFMEU Graft Probe
9/9/2026, 6:28:42 PM
Core Event
Premier Ben Carroll has said he will not return donations made to the Victorian Labor Party by two large construction-labour-hire firms, Top Up Labour and BK Labour. The firms are under investigation by Victoria Police’s multi-agency Taskforce Hawk for alleged attempts to secure union backing from the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) through inducements such as National Rugby League tickets and corporate hospitality valued at $25,000.
Background and Context
Taskforce Hawk coordinated cross-border raids in Victoria and Queensland earlier this year, targeting the Brisbane office of the CFMEU and the Victorian headquarters of Top Up Labour. The operation follows earlier raids on BK Labour, which pleaded guilty to separate financial-crime charges. Both firms have donated several thousand dollars to the Victorian Labor Party’s 2022 election campaign and, with CFMEU support, have turned over hundreds of millions of dollars on “Big Build” infrastructure projects between 2022 and the end of 2025. The raids also feed into state-level commissions of inquiry into the construction industry launched by the Victorian and Queensland governments.
Official Statements & Responses
A Labor Party spokesperson emphasized that “The donations in question were made years prior to these allegations being made.” — Labor Party spokesperson
The union added it is cooperating with police and conducting its own investigation.
Data & Statistics
- Donations from Top Up Labour and BK Labour: several thousand dollars each to the 2022 Victorian Labor campaign.
- Alleged inducements to CFMEU officials: $25,000 in NRL tickets and corporate hospitality.
- Revenue from Big Build projects for the two firms: hundreds of millions of dollars between 2022-2025.
- Legal actions: owners of Top Up Labour arrested; one charged with “make false document” and released on bail; no corruption charges filed yet.
Ongoing Investigation and Implications
Police continue to question senior CFMEU Queensland officials and are expected to make further arrests as the investigation expands. The refusal to return the donations has drawn criticism from opposition parties and raises questions about political funding transparency, especially as both state governments pursue inquiries aimed at cleaning up the construction sector.
