Only a royal commission can get to the bottom of mounting claims of misconduct on Victoria’s Big Build | Deborah Glass
Guardian AU
•Tue, 30 Jun 2026 05:30:39 GMT
📰 What Happened
Deborah Glass, the Victorian Ombudsman, has called for a royal commission into mounting claims of misconduct on Victoria's Big Build infrastructure program. Revelations continue to emerge of organised crime gangs, underworld figures, and other unsavoury characters profiting from the state's massive infrastructure spend, with evidence of intimidation, extortion, fraud, and bribery on government construction sites. Premier Jacinta Allan has blamed inflation rather than corruption for rising costs and argued that existing agencies have the matter in hand. Glass criticised the Premier's response, noting that Allan promised to give the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) enhanced powers — but not until after the next state election in late 2027, which Glass called 'decisively too late'.
🔍 The Backstory
Victoria's Big Build is a massive infrastructure spending program launched by the state government, encompassing major transport, health, and education projects. The CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union) has been central to allegations of misconduct on building sites, with claims it has secured a monopoly on government projects. Deborah Glass has served as Victorian Ombudsman since 2014 and has a track record of rigorous oversight of government agencies.
🎯 Why It Matters
The allegations of organised crime infiltration into Victoria's infrastructure program represent a serious threat to public trust and value-for-money in government spending. The call for a royal commission reflects concerns that existing oversight mechanisms are inadequate to address the scale of alleged misconduct.
Deborah Glass, the Victorian Ombudsman, has called for a royal commission into mounting claims of misconduct on Victoria's Big Build infrastructure program. Revelations continue to emerge of organised crime gangs, underworld figures, and other unsavoury characters profiting from the state's massive infrastructure spend, with evidence of intimidation, extortion, fraud, and bribery on government construction sites. Premier Jacinta Allan has blamed inflation rather than corruption for rising costs and argued that existing agencies have the matter in hand. Glass criticised the Premier's response, noting that Allan promised to give the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) enhanced powers — but not until after the next state election in late 2027, which Glass called 'decisively too late'.
Victoria's Big Build is a massive infrastructure spending program launched by the state government, encompassing major transport, health, and education projects. The CFMEU (Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union) has been central to allegations of misconduct on building sites, with claims it has secured a monopoly on government projects. Deborah Glass has served as Victorian Ombudsman since 2014 and has a track record of rigorous oversight of government agencies.
The allegations of organised crime infiltration into Victoria's infrastructure program represent a serious threat to public trust and value-for-money in government spending. The call for a royal commission reflects concerns that existing oversight mechanisms are inadequate to address the scale of alleged misconduct.