Victoria’s new Premier Ben Carroll has announced a royal commission into corruption allegations surrounding the state’s $109 billion Big Build infrastructure program, following the resignation of former Premier Jacinta Allan. The commission will examine oversight of the program by previous Labor governments, according to The Age.
Allan’s Resignation and the Royal Commission Announcement
Jacinta Allan resigned as Premier on Tuesday, July 23, 2026, prompting a swift leadership spill within the Victorian Labor Party. Ben Carroll was subsequently elected as the new Premier, with the promise of addressing the ongoing concerns about corruption within the Big Build, as reported by ABC News. Carroll stated he had asked the head of the Department of Premier and Cabinet to begin drafting terms of reference for the royal commission, emphasizing a commitment to exhaustive terms of reference encompassing all involved parties, including contractors, subcontractors, labour hire companies, the government, and unions. I said I want exhaustive terms of reference. No stone unturned,
he said, according to The Age.
The Scale of the Allegations and Previous Responses
The allegations of corruption within the Big Build program center around infiltration by outlaw motorcycle gangs and organized crime, involving systemic extortion, workplace intimidation, and kickbacks across major government contracts. The Age details a series of investigations that began in July 2024, with “Building Bad” series of over 200 articles. Despite repeated calls for a royal commission, Allan initially resisted, arguing that existing integrity bodies were sufficient. Former ombudsman Deborah Glass and former IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich publicly disagreed, describing the situation as an unprecedented integrity crisis and advocating for a broader inquiry.
A report by barrister Geoffrey Watson, SC, estimated that union-enforced practices and underworld rorts had cost Victorian taxpayers up to $15 billion, a figure the government initially ridiculed, according to The Age. The Queensland government launched its own commission of inquiry in mid-2025, uncovering information relevant to the Victorian projects, further fueling calls for a similar investigation in Victoria.
Allan was the public face of Victoria’s $109 billion Big Build for nine years as transport infrastructure minister and then-premier. In July 2024, she responded to questions from The Age investigative reporter Nick McKenzie about intimidation on Victoria’s Big Build with a question of her own: So if I can ask, Nick, what, what, what, what have you got that shows that they [allegations] were put to me in writing?
Timeline of Events
- July 2024: The Age, The Sydney Morning Herald, 60 Minutes and The Australian Financial Review begin publishing the “Building Bad” series.
- 2025: The Queensland government launches its own commission of inquiry.
- Tuesday, July 23, 2026: Jacinta Allan resigns as Premier.
- Following Allan’s resignation: Ben Carroll is elected as the new Premier.
Reactions and the Path Forward
Robert Redlich, former head of the corruption watchdog, expressed support for the royal commission, stating, We've needed one. This has been a historic public scandal unprecedented which demands something like a royal commission,
and that “No other institution can provide the scope of investigation … that’s needed to expose what went on with the Big Build,” as reported by the ABC. He also anticipated that both Jacinta Allan and Daniel Andrews would likely be called to provide evidence, given their pivotal roles in the projects. He further stated, If the royal commission is going to look at where the problems started, why they started, that’s the place [Daniel Andrews] at which the royal commission must commence.
However, not all reactions have been positive. Influencer Bec Judd criticized Carroll as “complicit” in the state’s problems, according to News.com.au. Opposition Leader Jess Wilson suggested the problems run deeper than the leadership and that a change in Premier wouldn’t inherently resolve the issues. It does not matter who leads this government,
Wilson told parliament following Carroll’s appointment, The Labor Party does not have the guts to admit the government has forfeited its moral authority to govern.
Robert Redlich also noted a pattern of parties prioritizing their own interests, stating, “Unfortunately it’s a harsh reality, that parties do first and foremost what will benefit the party… Whatever side of the political spectrum you look at, when it comes to the party’s interest it will override the public interest if it is necessary to do so, we’ve seen that over and over again.”
With a state election just four months away, Carroll faces the challenge of unifying the Labor Party and presenting a clear vision for the future, as outlined by The Conversation. The royal commission into the Big Build represents a significant shift in approach and a key test of his leadership as he seeks to distance himself from the controversies that plagued his predecessors.
