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Builder charged over racecourse deaths has licence revoked again as Minister intervenes

Friday, 17 Mar 2017 16:08:42 | Alexandra Blucher

Claudio D'Alessandro was charged with two counts of manslaughter in November last year. (Facebook)

Queensland's construction watchdog has revoked the decision to grant a licence to a builder facing charges over the deaths of two workers.

The backflip came an hour after the ABC asked the Public Works Minister why Claudio D'Alessandro had been given approval to resume work.

Ashley Pengana Morris and Humberto Ferraira Leite were killed when they were crushed by a 10-tonne concrete wall at a construction site at Brisbane's Eagle Farm racecourse in October last year.

D'Alessandro was charged with two counts of manslaughter, with police alleging negligent work practices contributed to the deaths.

About a month after the incident the Queensland Building and Construction Commission (QBCC) suspended D'Alessandro's building licence not over the deaths but the alleged non-payment of debts.

The QBCC yesterday re-issued the licence, allowing him to resume work.

Contacted by the ABC, Public Works Minister Mick De Brenni said he would order the QBCC to review the decision.

Eagle Farm Racecourse construction site from above Photo: The men were working on a multi-million-dollar development of infield stables. (ABC News)

Within an hour, the ABC was told that the construction watchdog had once again suspended D'Alessandro's licence.

"My office on my behalf contacted the new commissioner directly and asked him to personally review this decision, I understand he took immediate steps to do just that and I welcome his decision to repeal this license," Minister De Brenni said.

Michael Garrels' son Jason was electrocuted on a worksite operated by a different builder in central Queensland in 2012.

Mr Garrels has campaigned for work safety since his 20-year-old son's death and is a member of a State Government committee for work-related fatalities.

In that case, the QBCC suspended the builder's licence over the death.

Michael Garrels in front of a picture of children Photo: Michael Garrels, whose son was electrocuted in 2012, says the licence decision "doesn't make any sense whatsoever". (ABC News: Jonathan Hair)

"I can't even imagine anyone who would want someone who is charged with a double manslaughter to be on their site," said Michael Garrels.

"It just doesn't make any sense whatsoever except for trying to undo a good precedent set in my son's case. That's the only way I see it."

The CFMEU has accused the construction watchdog of failing workers.

"The QBCC has failed grossly. We believe they've failed dismally. They should not even contemplate giving back a licence to someone who's on those charges," said the CFMEU's Andrew Ramsay.

"People facing manslaughter charges should not be allowed to keep building while those charges are still alive."

"It's pretty obvious what's gone wrong on that job and those two guys are now lying in their graves because of what's happened out there," said the CFMEU's Andrew Ramsay.

The ABC contacted Claudio D'Alessandro's lawyer, but he declined to comment.

D'Alessandro said last year he would fight the manslaughter charges.

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