Overview
- The royal commission opened public hearings on Wednesday and revealed it has already held closed hearings to gather sensitive evidence, while counsel assisting tabled cabinet‑in‑confidence documents in court.
- One cabinet briefing dated June 21, 2023 warned of organised‑crime presence and serious misconduct on Big Build sites, and the commission said notices to appear will be issued to people named in those documents, including former premier Jacinta Allan.
- Commissioner Christopher Kourakis has broad statutory powers to call ministers, public servants, union officials and contractors, and the inquiry has a $50 million budget with a final report due in August 2027.
- The probe will examine allegations centred on the Victorian branch of the CFMEU, building firms and organised‑crime links, building on Geoffrey Watson SC’s report that estimated up to $15 billion may have been siphoned from the Big Build program.
- The Victorian government is creating an Office of the Special Prosecutor and the commission’s findings could lead to criminal referrals, tighter procurement and industrial rules, and changes that aim to protect workers and reduce extortion on major projects.