Overview
- Premier Ben Carroll formally launched the royal commission on Thursday and appointed former South Australian chief justice Christopher Kourakis to lead the inquiry.
- The commission’s terms of reference give it power to examine corruption, criminal conduct or serious misconduct on major public and civil infrastructure projects, including actions by the CFMEU, construction firms, subcontractors and labour‑hire companies.
- A special prosecutor’s office will be established in September to work alongside the commission, which has a roughly $50 million budget and must deliver a final report by August 20, 2027.
- The timing — about 100 days before the state election — has intensified political scrutiny with the opposition accusing the premier of delay and calling for former ministers and premiers to be made available for testimony.
- The inquiry follows two years of investigative reporting and Geoffrey Watson SC’s findings that alleged misconduct may have cost taxpayers about $15 billion, and it could trigger immediate administrative actions such as contract reviews and efforts to recoup losses.