Open hearings begin in Melbourne for royal commission into construction — ABC News Australia

In Melbourne, Australia, the first public hearing of the royal commission investigating alleged corruption in Victoria's construction sector has begun. The hearing is being held at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court. As ABC News Australia reports, at the initial stage the commission is to consider the terms of its mandate and next steps before summoning witnesses to subsequent hearings.

Commission mandate and leadership

Victoria Premier Ben Carroll announced the establishment of the commission in July, immediately after taking office. In August, he presented its mandate, stating that the scope of the investigation was broad and that nothing would be beyond its reach.

The commission will examine the scale of corruption in major infrastructure projects, the effectiveness of oversight by government bodies, and the actions of contractors to reduce risks. The Victorian branch of the CFMEU will be at the centre of the investigation. The commission's budget is $50 million.

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The commission is chaired by former Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of South Australia Christopher Kourakis. In August, he said the investigation would address issues important to Victorians and promised an independent, thorough and transparent consideration of the evidence.

Possible summonses for former premiers

The state opposition criticised the commission's mandate, claiming that it would allegedly allow former premiers Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan to avoid being summoned to hearings. Ben Carroll rejected these claims, stressing that the commission could summon anyone, including ministers and former state premiers.

The investigation follows a report on the CFMEU released by the Queensland Commission of Inquiry in February. Its author, Geoffrey Watson SC, estimated that the actions of the organisation's Victorian branch had cost Victoria's taxpayers about $15 billion. Jacinta Allan strongly rejected this estimate at the time. Watson also gave a positive assessment of the mandate of the new royal commission. The commission is expected to submit its report to the state government by August next year.