Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has acknowledged that organised criminal behaviour occurred on some of the state's largest construction projects, but has firmly rejected mounting calls for a royal commission into alleged corruption involving unions and labour hire companies.
Premier's admission and apology
In an opinion piece published in The Age on Thursday night, Allan wrote that “we now know that criminals operated on some of Victoria’s construction sites” during projects collectively known as the Big Build. She stated: “There was violence, intimidation and organised criminal behaviour. That is shocking and unacceptable. It should never have happened.” Allan apologised, saying: “I’m deeply sorry that it happened on projects funded by the Victorian people.” However, she maintained that a royal commission would not solve the issue, despite repeated calls from figures including Geoffrey Watson SC, the CFMEU administrator, and former Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass.
Why a royal commission is not the answer
Allan argued that a previous royal commission into trade unions, held in the last decade, cost $46 million and resulted in only one criminal conviction without changing workplace culture. “If the goal is another report, another royal commission will deliver one. If the goal is changing behaviour on worksites, changing the culture is the answer,” she wrote.
Her op-ed did not address specific allegations published in The Age about her time as transport infrastructure minister, including claims that government officials told a rail consortium she wanted a deal with the CFMEU over a level crossing removal project, leading to the union imposing its preferred labour hire company. Another claim involved ministerial pressure from her office in a 2022 dispute between the CFMEU and a rail infrastructure partnership.
Police and regulatory measures
Allan emphasised that police should investigate wrongdoing, noting that Victoria Police have laid more than 90 criminal charges related to construction sites. She also highlighted stronger powers for the Labour Hire Authority, which has cancelled licences for 164 firms. The CFMEU was placed into administration and expelled from the Victorian Labor Party. Construction companies on government projects must now report suspected criminal behaviour, whistleblower protections have been strengthened, and state agencies share intelligence with the federal government.
Opposition calls for royal commission
Opposition Leader Jess Wilson, in her own Age opinion piece, demanded a royal commission to expose how $15 billion of Victorians' money has been rorted and to prevent future abuses. She described the Big Build as “a hunting ground for organised crime, standover men, and corrupt union bosses.”
