Royal Commission Hearings Test Ben Carroll's Political Gamble

The Royal Commission into the Integrity of Major Public and Civil Infrastructure Construction Projects begins two weeks of public hearings on Monday. This start date lands in the middle of the Victorian state election campaign. Premier Ben Carroll faces a direct challenge to his authority. He must answer for the decisions of his predecessors while campaigning for a "new direction." The timing is difficult for the Labor government. It prefers to discuss policy rather than criminal infiltration of government projects. The Coalition views the inquiry as a strategic advantage. They intend to use the hearings to pressure Labor ahead of the November 28 vote.

Carroll’s premiership is tied to this inquiry. He made the call for the commission his first major decision after taking office. His predecessor, Jacinta Allan, had refused to establish the body. Labor insiders believed she would not call it despite admitting to corruption issues. The party room turned to Carroll when Allan resigned. He told the public he wanted to be a premier who kept his promise on integrity. This stance earned respect from Deborah Glass, the state ombudsman from 2014 to 2024. Glass publicly demanded a royal commission in June. She called the inquiry a necessary examination of a shameful chapter in Victorian history.

Glass noted that the proceedings will be painful for the party. That pain has already appeared in early media reports. William McDougall, a planning expert with 50 years of experience, submitted a scathing assessment of Labor’s management of the Big Build. McDougall argues that announcement precedes analysis and dissent is discouraged. His submission claims this system risks selecting inferior projects and misallocating public funds. The government denies these specific claims. The commission will test them during the hearings.

The inquiry also focuses on union conduct. The commission revealed its initial focus includes the Construction, Forestry and Maritime Employees Union, or CFMEU. It will examine the union’s conduct on rail projects in Sunbury. In 2024, John Setka, the then-boss of the Victorian CFMEU, resigned after 12 years. A Nine investigation found misconduct allegations linking high-ranking bikie bosses to union delegate positions. Roy Morgan polling of 2,084 Victorians in August found that corruption and integrity failures were the top issues stopping people from voting for Labor.

Labor MPs argue that Allan failed to respond appropriately when these allegations first surfaced in 2024. They believe earlier action could have limited the political damage. Carroll knew that some MPs and union leaders would be unhappy with the commission. While the MPs have followed the party line, some unions have broken away. Labor concedes that the Electrical Trades Union’s decision not to fund the campaign could be costly. The party has no choice but to own the inquiry. A senior Labor source said Ben Carroll will stay in the media if bad news breaks. He will say he set it up and wants answers.

The Liberal party plans to expand the commission’s remit. They want to explicitly investigate all trade unions. They also want to examine the political and financial incentives behind the Big Build. This expansion aims to inflict more pain on Labor and the broader union movement. The commission’s work will continue regardless of the election outcome. If Labor loses, as polls predict, the royal commission will be Carroll’s lasting legacy. Glass remains hopeful that the commission will deliver a forensic analysis of what went wrong. She said Victorians need answers as soon as possible.