Construction union organiser and former Canberra Raiders player John Lomax has been charged with blackmail.

Lomax, 49, of Harrison, was arrested on Friday morning by the police task force attached to the royal commission into trade union corruption.

ACT police said his arrest was “in relation to the Canberra hearings” of the royal commission.
Lomax has been charged with one count of blackmail.

He was granted watch house bail and will face the ACT Magistrates Court on August 5.
Lomax is the third person to have been arrested by the police task force attached to the commission, and the second to be arrested in relation to the hearings in Canberra.

Former CFMEU organiser Halafihi “Fihi” Kivalu was arrested last week and has pleaded not guilty to two charges of blackmail. Lomax was due to give evidence before the royal commission next week.

It is now unclear whether he will still attend.

– AAP