Victoria's Big Build royal commission explained

The Victorian government's "Big Build" is a multi-decade, $100 billion construction project that includes new roads, railway stations, and tunnels. However, construction sites connected to this massive initiative have become centers for allegations of criminal wrongdoing, corruption, and serious misconduct. The Victorian government has now initiated a royal commission to probe these claims, with its first hearings set to commence this week.

The controversy surrounding the Big Build was first brought to light by Nine Newspapers in 2024, exposing claims of bikies, criminals, and union delegates receiving substantial sums of money for their work on federal and state-funded projects. These revelations led to the federal government placing certain elements of the CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Mining and Energy Union) into administration in August 2024.

Following this, the union's administrators appointed Geoffrey Watson SC to investigate the conduct of the CFMEU under its former leader, John Setka. Watson's report revealed the union in Victoria had deteriorated into a state of disarray, with taxpayers potentially losing up to $15 billion to organized crime on Big Build projects.

He found the union was controlling which subcontractors and labor hire companies could access major construction sites. Watson described the situation as "a very organized kind of corruption" involving financial crimes against Victoria's residents and sites being used for drug dealing.

Despite the findings, the Victorian government took its time to initiate a royal commission to investigate these allegations. The political landscape shifted with the election of Ben Carroll as premier, who promptly called for a royal commission to address the issues. The commission's terms of reference outline the specific areas to be examined and the time frame for the investigation.

The first round of public hearings will take place from November 9 to November 20 at Level 9, 54 Wellington Street, Collingwood, and will be livestreamed for those unable to attend in person. A second round of hearings will be held before the end of the year, with the royal commission continuing its work around the time of the state election on November 28.

The commission has already conducted closed hearings, discussing sensitive information that will influence the investigation. Witnesses from various backgrounds within the construction industry and government are expected to testify during the first round of hearings. This includes CFMEU members, officials from the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (VIDA), ministers, and personnel from major contracting firms involved in Big Build projects. Former premiers Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan may also be called to provide testimony.

Premier Ben Carroll emphasized that "any and everyone can be called" during the royal commission, leaving the decision to the commissioner to determine the relevance of the individuals and topics to be investigated.