It’s well past time for this sorry premier to call a royal commission

July 4, 2026 — 5:00am

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On Friday, The Age published pieces by the Premier, Jacinta Allan, and the Opposition Leader, Jess Wilson. The theme, broadly, was Victoria’s $100 billion Big Build infrastructure program. Specifically, Allan and Wilson were invited to reflect on two years of rolling CFMEU scandal – the rampant corruption, bikie infiltration, intimidation and billions in cost overruns that have beset the Big Build.

Politically, their answers were to script. Wilson attacked the premier’s handling of the Big Build revelations and demanded that a royal commission be established. Wilson’s call echoed those of former Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission chief Robert Redlich and former ombudsman Deborah Glass.

Allan tried to walk a narrower path. Yes, she acknowledged things were not as they should be, but Labor had embarked on a huge building project that had delivered, and continues to deliver, much-needed new schools and hospitals, and commuters were experiencing the benefits of new rail and road projects. With all this work, there was bound to be a few hiccups along the way. For that, Victorians, she was sorry.

An apology, not before time, but which ultimately doesn’t provide any real accountability nor does it get back the money that’s gone out the door. To that end, sorry doesn’t unclog an emergency department. Sorry doesn’t fix a school’s busted toilet block.

That........

© The Age