📰 What Happened
A royal commission into corruption in Victoria's building industry opens in Melbourne on 23 Sep 2026. It will study the Big Build, the state's pipeline of more than 180 road and rail projects. The inquiry will look at whether unions, builders and government agencies did the wrong thing. It can force people to hand over documents, including cabinet papers. The first hearing is expected to be short and mostly about process.
🔍 The Backstory
The inquiry follows years of reporting by Nine newspapers. A 2026 report by Geoffrey Watson SC said $15b may have been lost to wrongdoing. Former premier Jacinta Allan said sorry but refused to call a royal commission. Ben Carroll replaced her in July and made the inquiry his first promise. Former judge Chris Kourakis leads it with a $50m budget. He must report by 20 August 2027.
🎯 Why It Matters
This is your money. If the claims are true, taxpayers lost billions that should have gone to roads, trains and hospitals.

A royal commission into corruption in Victoria's building industry opens in Melbourne on 23 Sep 2026. It will study the Big Build, the state's pipeline of more than 180 road and rail projects. The inquiry will look at whether unions, builders and government agencies did the wrong thing. It can force people to hand over documents, including cabinet papers. The first hearing is expected to be short and mostly about process.

The inquiry follows years of reporting by Nine newspapers. A 2026 report by Geoffrey Watson SC said $15b may have been lost to wrongdoing. Former premier Jacinta Allan said sorry but refused to call a royal commission. Ben Carroll replaced her in July and made the inquiry his first promise. Former judge Chris Kourakis leads it with a $50m budget. He must report by 20 August 2027.

This is your money. If the claims are true, taxpayers lost billions that should have gone to roads, trains and hospitals.

📰 Source: News Source
theguardian.com ↗
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