Crime figure and allegedly corrupt building company owner George Alex hired Labor power-broker Graham Richardson to help lobby developers and secure building contracts in the mid 2000s.
Fairfax Media can also reveal colourful business identity Jim Byrnes has vowed to testify at the royal commission on union corruption about building union bribery, union links to organised criminals and the allegedly underhand dealings of Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union boss Brian Parker.
A former bankrupt, Mr Alex was repeatedly chased by the Tax Office over unpaid tax and examined by law enforcement agencies over dealings with organised crime figures.
Mr Richardson said he consulted for Mr Alex and his business partners for ''a year or two''.
''My job was to try and get them work in the construction industry, but the reality was that there were too many established firms and it was a very difficult task.
''I got them a couple of dribs and drabs, but didn't get them any permanent contracts for their labour hire firm,'' Mr Richardson said.
Fairfax Media is not suggesting Mr Richardson ever acted improperly or knew of Mr Alex's extensive criminal associations in Sydney and Melbourne. But Mr Alex's link to the former NSW Labor senator highlights Mr Alex's extensive connections in the Labor movement.
In an exclusive interview, Jim Byrnes has said he is ''looking forward'' to telling commission investigators about his dealings with Mr Alex and the building union and says he will:
■ Identify the union official and ''bagman'' Mr Byrnes says he saw take an envelope of cash at the home of Mr Alex.
■ Allege he helped buy a racehorse for Mr Parker and builder Denis Delic then registered it in the names of the trio's wives to disguise Mr Parker's involvement in racing.
■ Identify at least four senior serving or former CFMEU organisers allegedly bribed by builders including Mr Alex.
Fairfax Media can also reveal that, in an attempt to win union support, Mr Alex employed CFMEU organiser Sammy Manna's son, Adriano, after he was released from a 12-year stint in prison for attempted murder.
Mr Alex has extensive organised crime ties in Melbourne and Sydney, where his labour hire businesses operate with union backing. Mr Byrnes was involved in some of Mr Alex's business affairs before the pair fell out.
Mr Byrnes was once Alan Bond's financial adviser and has a chequered history dating back to the 1980s, when he was jailed for deemed supply of heroin, acquitted of fraud charges and banned twice from running companies.
Mr Byrnes' allegations about inappropriate ties between union officials and Mr Alex and Mr Delic corroborate claims recently made by two CFMEU officials-turned-whistleblowers, Brian Fitzpatrick and Andrew Quirk.
The union organiser who Mr Byrnes says he saw take a ''white envelope'' filled with cash from Mr Alex is the same union official Mr Fitzpatrick has alleged was inappropriately lobbying for Mr Alex.
In response to Mr Byrnes' allegations, Mr Parker said in a statement: ''Jim Byrnes is a convicted criminal who has previously been struck off as a director of a company. Any statements by him should be carefully weighed.''
Mr Parker also insisted his dealings with Mr Delic and Mr Alex were appropriate and he had never used his influence to help the pair's companies.
