Furlong is considering whether to take further action, including civil actions against the CFMEU officers involved.
He has issued a notice to the administrator of the CFMEU requesting the union take steps to fix its failures in reporting and financial management.
The commission also found that one payment, worth $34,100, was made to a company that is the subject of a separate investigation involving Asmar.
The commission has taken civil action against Asmar, alleging that a printing business connected to her received $2.7 million in HWU member funds for no service, with the money instead going into private accounts, and that more than $120,000 in reimbursements was claimed without evidence of relevant business expenses.
The Age first revealed in August 2024 that a multi-agency investigation was examining millions in “ghost payments” made by the CFMEU and HWU to a printing business.
At the time it was reported investigators were looking at $180,000 in CFMEU donations as part of the probe, and whether they went towards Asmar’s union election campaign.
The commission’s statement on Tuesday reveals a higher figure, with $329,000 in donations tracked.
Asmar and Setka have been contacted for comment.
Setka resigned from his role as state secretary following the Building Bad investigation into widespread corruption in the construction industry by this masthead, 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review.
Asmar stood down from her role in May 2025 after reaching an agreement with the national organisation that controls her branch to put the HWU into administration.
