Greens back inquiry into T2D bikie allegations as Libs revive bill
Greens back a Liberal select committee into major SA projects, ABC reports, as the Liberals revive a construction integrity bill, InDaily reports.
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South Australia’s upper house is set to vote on Wednesday 11 November on a Liberal Party proposal for a select committee into major government-funded projects, with the Greens now backing it, the ABC reports. The ABC says One Nation also supports the motion, which means Labor does not have the numbers to block it.
The committee would examine how the Malinauskas government handled allegations of bikie infiltration on the $15.4 billion Torrens to Darlington (T2D) project. None of those allegations has been proven, and the ABC says the central claims are set to be disputed in court. InDaily reports Police Commissioner Linda Williams said in October there was no evidence of organised crime infiltrating any public infrastructure project in the state.
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Why it matters
The ABC reports the political fallout centres on labour-hire company Career Boss Australia, which was awarded a mid-2025 contract to provide staff for the South Road upgrade. Businessman Robert Cammarano, who claims ownership of the company, launched Supreme Court action on 12 October, alleging a bikie had coerced the transfer of company shares. The ABC says those claims are set to be disputed in court.
According to the ABC, the claims were raised with Transport Minister Joe Szakacs’s chief of staff and Child Protection Minister Alice Rolls on 11 September and referred to the South Road project team, but not to the premier. It reports the contract was not suspended until News Corp reported the court action on 18 October. Our earlier coverage followed the second contractor stood down from the job.
Greens MLC Robert Simms said his party was concerned about the allegations and he would back the motion, saying “they need to be appropriately investigated”.
The numbers
The ABC calls T2D the most expensive infrastructure project ever carried out in South Australia, valued at $15.4 billion. Its report says the inquiry brief takes in claims of organised crime interference on government-funded builds, plus the timing of ministerial and agency awareness and whether the responses were adequate.
Separately, InDaily reports the Liberals will reintroduce the Construction Industry Commissioner Bill this week. A similar bill was rejected by State Parliament in 2024. The Liberals say the new version is a bolstered one: it would set up a central reporting and complaints service, give the Commissioner compulsory investigative powers, and let the Commissioner suspend contractors from government work for up to 12 months. It would also bring in a procurement code for publicly funded construction projects above a set threshold, with compliance a condition of government contracts.
What’s next
The upper house vote is due on Wednesday. The ABC also reports Parliament’s budget and finance committee will separately hear from the T2D project team next Monday.
On the bill, InDaily reports Premier Peter Malinauskas said the government has no particular reservations about genuine examination, but questioned how far the move is political rather than genuine scrutiny.
Quick answers
What are the key numbers in this story?
project value: $15.4b; earlier bill rejected: 2024; proposed suspension power: 12 months.
Where does this information come from?
This story cites ABC News and InDaily. Every source is linked on the page.
Sources
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