Without a Royal Commission, we won’t know the scale of the corruption in Victoria’s Big Build

Victoria's Big Build, a massive state infrastructure program, has been infiltrated by organized crime networks operating through the construction union. The Conversation (Australia) reports that outlaw motorcycle gangs and criminal syndicates used the CFMEU union to drive up project costs through extortion, fixed procurement deals, and ghost shifts—charging for labor that was never performed. The corruption is estimated to have cost Victorian taxpayers around fifteen billion dollars. In response, the state government has charged more than ninety individuals, cancelled licenses for one hundred sixty-four labour-hire firms, and promised to give anti-corruption authorities expanded investigative powers. But critics argue these steps fall short: with allegations surfacing that the premier herself may have approved irregular payments or applied ministerial pressure to enable corrupt hires, only a royal commission with independent authority can determine the full extent of corruption and any government involvement. The Big Build scandal is shaping up as a central issue in Victoria's November state election.

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