New Victorian Premier Ben Carroll used his first press conference since taking the state’s top job to flag a royal commission into the governance of Victoria’s Big Build program, telling reporters his government would not shy away from scrutiny of how major infrastructure contracts have been awarded and managed. The announcement, delivered less than 24 hours after a change of Labor leadership, has put the multibillion-dollar project pipeline back in the spotlight.
A new premier, a different tone #
Mr Carroll told journalists at Tuesday’s press conference that he wanted Victorians to understand “who I am not” as much as who he is, drawing a line between his own approach and that of his predecessor. He did not detail specific findings or name any individual company, contractor or former minister, but said his government would examine “how decisions were made and who signed off on them” across the state’s transport and construction pipeline.
Victoria Police has made no statement in relation to the premier’s comments, and no charges or court proceedings have arisen from them. VCN understands the proposed commission would be a civil administrative inquiry, separate from any criminal investigation, and would operate under its own terms of reference once established by government.
What a royal commission can and cannot do #
Royal commissions in Victoria are established under the Inquiries Act 2014 (Vic) and have broad powers to compel witnesses, subpoena documents and hold public hearings. They are not courts — they cannot convict anyone of an offence or impose penalties. Their role is to make findings of fact and recommendations, which government can accept, reject or refer on to police, IBAC or the Director of Public Prosecutions.
That distinction matters for how this masthead reports on any commission that is ultimately called. Findings made by a royal commission are not equivalent to a criminal conviction, and any person named in evidence or in a commission’s findings retains the presumption of innocence in relation to any offence that might separately be alleged against them.
Why the Big Build is under the microscope #
Victoria’s Big Build — the government’s umbrella term for major projects including level crossing removals, the Metro Tunnel, the West Gate Tunnel and the North East Link — has been repeatedly scrutinised by the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office over cost blowouts and delays. VCN has previously reported on Auditor-General findings regarding project budgeting and contract variations across several of these projects.
Mr Carroll said Victorians “deserve to know that every dollar spent on these projects is accounted for,” and that a commission, if established, would look at contract-awarding processes, probity oversight and the role of individual departments in signing off on variations. He said the government would provide further detail on scope and terms of reference “in coming weeks.”
No individual public servant, minister or company has been named by the Premier in connection with any alleged wrongdoing, and none should be inferred from this report. Any suggestion of impropriety in relation to specific projects would need to be established through the commission’s own hearings or through separate investigation by an appropriate authority such as IBAC.
IBAC’s existing role #
Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission already has jurisdiction to investigate corrupt conduct by public officers, including in relation to government contracts. IBAC has previously published reports examining probity issues in public sector procurement, though VCN is not aware of any current IBAC investigation specifically tied to Tuesday’s announcement. Should a royal commission be established, it is understood any evidence suggesting corrupt conduct would likely be referred to IBAC to consider under its own statutory powers, rather than dealt with by the commission itself.
We have asked IBAC’s office for comment on whether it holds any open inquiries touching on Big Build contracts and will update this report if a response is received.
Political context of the leadership change #
Mr Carroll’s press conference followed what was widely reported as a leadership change within the parliamentary Labor Party, with Mr Carroll confirmed as the state’s new Premier. He used the platform to set out his priorities, describing infrastructure accountability as central to how he wants his government judged. He did not take detailed questions on the mechanics of the leadership transition itself, and VCN has not sought to verify or characterise the internal party process beyond what was said publicly at the press conference.
Opposition figures are yet to respond in detail to the royal commission proposal at the time of writing. VCN will report any official opposition statement as it comes to hand, attributed accordingly.
What happens next #
For a royal commission to formally proceed, the Governor of Victoria must issue Letters Patent on the advice of the Executive Council, setting out the commission’s terms of reference, its presiding commissioner or commissioners, and its reporting timeframe. That process typically takes weeks to finalise once a government commits to the mechanism. Past Victorian royal commissions — including those into family violence and into Victoria’s mental health system — have run for periods ranging from several months to more than a year, with public hearings, submissions processes and final reports tabled in Parliament.
Should this commission proceed, VCN’s Big Build Watch coverage will track its terms of reference, hearing schedule and findings as they are handed down, reporting strictly on the public record of proceedings. Readers should note that evidence given to a royal commission — including allegations made by witnesses — is privileged material given under specific legislative protections, and this masthead will continue to attribute any such material directly to the commission’s public record rather than asserting it as established fact.
Background reading #
- Victorian Auditor-General’s Office — prior reports on Big Build project costings and delays
- IBAC Victoria — corruption prevention and investigation jurisdiction
- Parliament of Victoria — public record of ministerial statements and tabled reports
This is a developing story. No findings of wrongdoing have been made against any individual or organisation in connection with the matters described above, and any person who may be named in future proceedings is presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law, or until adverse findings are formally made by a properly constituted inquiry.
