Former CFMEU training chief sentenced for fake invoicing scheme
Steven Deer, ex-head of the CFMEU training unit, was convicted of deception after sending bogus invoices to four labour-hire firms and pocketing the money.
The former head of the CFMEU’s training unit, Steven Deer, was found guilty of fraud after he fabricated seven invoices on union letterhead and sent them to four labour-hire companies, requesting payment into his own ANZ account. The invoices claimed the money would fund a "CFMEU Education and Training Traffic Fund" for vehicle upgrades, but the account was a personal one. Deer had spent roughly $20,000 to purchase and modify a Ford Falcon XR6 and two smart cars, then tried to recover the expense by offering sponsorship space for the companies' logos.
He pleaded guilty to a single charge of obtaining property by deception and was fined $2,250 by Melbourne Magistrates’ Court. Defence barrister Neville Rudston highlighted Deer’s lack of prior convictions and his claim that media scrutiny left him unemployable, while prosecutor Alex Turner described the scheme as calculated and sophisticated. Magistrate Vincenzo Caltabiano emphasized the offence as a serious breach of trust, noting the case’s high public profile due to Deer’s union links.
Why it matters
The case highlights how union officials can misuse their positions for personal gain, raising concerns about oversight and fraud prevention.
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