Carroll to lock in royal commission into construction sector

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll will move on Thursday to set up a royal commission into the construction sector immediately after a morning cabinet meeting.

The step, which comes after two years of reporting by The Age on corruption and organised crime on construction sites for government infrastructure, was Carroll’s first promise after becoming leader last month .

At a cabinet meeting on Thursday morning, Carroll will finalise the details of the royal commission and advise the state’s governor to issue the letters patent establishing the inquiry.

A commissioner will also be appointed to lead the process. Further details will be announced at a press conference later today.

Carroll promised to set up the royal commission at the end of July as his first act after becoming premier.

His predecessor, Jacinta Allan, refused to set up the inquiry despite pressure from integrity advocates, the opposition and her own MPs after two years of reporting by The Age , The Australian Financial Review and 60 Minutes on organised crime and corruption in Victoria’s Big Build.

Known as Building Bad, that investigation has uncovered serious allegations of organised criminal infiltration of taxpayer funded construction projects, violence and drug use on work sites, payments to so-called “fixers” such as underworld figure Mick Gatto, and concerns the government presided over a culture where builders were encouraged to give in to demands from the increasingly lawless CFMEU.

As recently as Thursday, this masthead revealed that the former national vice-president of the Mongols outlaw bikie gang is being investigated by police over allegations he offered inducements to officials still serving in the CFMEU in return for their support of his business.

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