Who is BMD - the Civil Contractor Digging up Victoria Park?
You may have seen this construction firm in the news lately – for all the wrong reasons.
BMD was awarded the early works contract for the Victoria Park main stadium in July.
They have said (with no apparent irony) that they will carve up Victoria Park Barrambin with “care”.
Like all the other contractors involved in this taxpayer-funded project, their website is awash with claims of “sustainability” and “respect for First Nations”.
Do these claims hold water? In the past month, we have seen BMD voluntarily sign up to a project that has so far:
Destroyed at least 10 ancient (pre-colonial) native trees, along with HUNDREDS of other mature species. (Multiple witnesses viewed resident wildlife fleeing the felled trees, distressed and vulnerable.)
Ignored well-publicised pleas from First Nations elders to stop vegetation removal and earthworks while claims for the protection of cultural heritage at the park are processed by the Federal Government
Failed to communicate with locals about mounds of unearthed asbestos being stockpiled on site.
And that’s not the only reason they’ve been in the spotlight!
We also know that BMD is facing serious questions about its links to the Comancheros bikie gang. There are allegations this company attempted to “lock down” CCTV footage showing gang representatives threatening workers on one of its construction sites in Brisbane.
One of the bikies allegedly told a worker that he would “burn your house down and kill your kids”, according to testimony heard at the Commission of Inquiry into the CFMEU.
But wait, there’s more…
On the VERY day BMD was awarded the contract for the Vic Park early works, it poured $4800 into the coffers of the LNP (a donation that was returned once the media publicised it).
The company has donated exclusively to the LNP since 2019, according to reporting by the Australian Financial Review*.
In light of all this, we as a community are supposed to trust that this company will act with transparency and care at Vic Park? Unlikely.
Sources
https://www.bmdgroup.global/news/bmd-awarded-brisbane-stadium-early-works
