Commissioner Chris Kourakis told a Melbourne Magistrates’ Court hearing on Wednesday that the inquiry has already conducted private sessions to gather information and that two blocks of public hearings will be held before the end of 2026, with the inaugural session scheduled for November, coinciding with the state election campaign.
During the opening submissions, counsel assisting the commission, Chris Young KC, presented a briefing dated 21 June 2023 that had been addressed to then‑infrastructure minister Jacinta Allan. The document warned that the Big Build was being taken over by a “lawless” CFMEU, that bikie gangs and other criminal elements were infiltrating taxpayer‑funded projects, and that the situation could trigger major cost blowouts.
A second briefing, also dated 21 June 2023 and signed by Allan, echoed the first warning, noting that the state’s major transport infrastructure authority had received anecdotal evidence of criminal involvement. While informal investigations had not uncovered widespread wrongdoing, the briefing recommended referring the matters to Victoria Police.
A third document tabled to the commission was a letter from Allan, dated 23 June 2023, addressed to then‑Victoria Police commissioner Shane Patton. In it, Allan said she had been made aware of the warnings and, despite the police department’s own general counsel having referred the concerns, she felt compelled to raise the issue directly with the police chief.
Kourakis pledged to “leave no stone unturned” and warned that further private hearings might be required, but stressed that public disclosure would be prioritised. He said Victorians have debated for years whether the Big Build projects meet their goals, and that protecting taxpayer investments and preventing abuse of positions remain paramount.
The timing of the first public hearing, set for the election period, raises political stakes. If the commission’s findings substantiate the earlier warnings, they could have significant implications for the cost and schedule of major infrastructure works and could intensify scrutiny of the government’s handling of the Big Build.