Based on their actions to date BrisConnections are well worthy of the catch phrase:
| THEY CAN'T BE TRUSTED |
BrisConnections are a publicly listed company on the ASX and are currently under investigation by ASIC:
BrisConnections manage construction operations by TJH JV and liaise with CNI to get what they need for the AirportLink project. This includes access to properties and the proposal for an industrial site in the middle of Wooloowin.BRISCONNECTIONS MANAGEMENT COMPANY LIMITED (ACN 128 614 291), BRISCONNECTIONS INVESTMENT TRUST (ARSN 131 124 813), and BRISCONNECTIONS HOLDING TRUST (ARSN 131 125 025)
Ray Wilson the CEO of BrisConnections gets paid $650,000 a year. On top of this he personally gets a bonus of around $1 million if the project completes by June 2012. This is a pretty big personal incentive to get the job done, no matter what happens to the surrounding communities. With the management team also on personal incentive schemes it is hard to image why anyone at BrisConnections would take the community into consideration - ubless of course they were forced to somehow.
As the OPERATOR of the AirportLink project we can expect to see BrisConnections (or a replacement OPERATOR) in our neighbourhoods for the next 45 years. A somewhat frightening thought given their behaviour to date.
BrisConnections was nearly wound up in April 2009 after the private company of one investor, Nicholas Bolton, requisitioned a general meeting of the members of the company.
Queensland Premier Anna Bligh enjoyed a free holiday at the Sydney mansion of Thiess director Ros Kelly just before the AirportLink contract was awarded. Former Labor ministers Terry Mackenroth and Con Sciacca were paid a "success fee", believed to be about $500,000, by BrisConnections after the consortium won the tender.
However, it is probably worth noting, BrisConnections are just big business, as are TJH JV. So in a project like AirportLink we expect someone to play a role in keeping BrisConnections and TJH JV within strict boundaries with regard to compliance. This is the Queensland State Governments responsibility, which ultimately it is, however operationally the State Government hands over to CNI - who do not appear to be acting on the community's behalf in any significant way. In fact CNI operate inside a world unto themselves...
Ray Wilson is the CEO of BrisConnections.
Charles MacDonald is General Manager
Construction at BrisConnections.