Victoria construction corruption inquiry to begin public proceedings

Victoria’s royal commission into alleged corruption in the construction sector will hold its opening hearing next Wednesday, according to ABC News. The inquiry will examine major public and civil infrastructure projects and begins a little over two months before the state election.

The hearing, at the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court, is expected to address the commission’s terms of reference and establish the next steps in its work. Witnesses are expected to appear at later hearings, while the timing of those proceedings remains unclear. The commission’s website says a schedule for public hearings will be published later and that hearings will be livestreamed unless otherwise directed.

Former South Australian Supreme Court chief justice Christopher Kourakis is leading the inquiry. ABC News reports that the commission will investigate corruption, criminal conduct and serious misconduct on construction sites, as well as the effectiveness of government oversight and measures taken by contractors to reduce risks.

The inquiry was called by Ben Carroll in his first act as premier in July, after he replaced Jacinta Allan. Carroll described the investigation as an exhaustive inquiry into corruption allegations. When he released its terms of reference in August, he said they were broad and expansive, with nothing off limits.

The commission has a budget of $50 million and is expected to report to the Victorian government by August next year. Its staff includes chief executive Emma Catford and counsel assisting Chris Young and Christopher Carr. ABC News reports that Kourakis said the appointments brought deep experience in administrative and public law.

The inquiry has faced questions from the opposition about whether it will have sufficient powers to determine the effects of corruption in the sector. ABC News also reported that anti-corruption barrister Geoffrey Watson had previously estimated the alleged corruption could have cost Victorian taxpayers up to $15 billion, though that estimate was not established by the commission’s opening hearing.