March 18, 2026 — 5:00am
A Queensland Commission of Inquiry is set to scrutinize confidential discussions involving top infrastructure officials across Australia, including the public servant in charge of Victoria’s troubled Big Build project. The inquiry, wielding royal commission powers, demands that Transport Australia, the nation’s peak infrastructure body, produce records of its board meetings. These records are expected to reveal sensitive conversations among some of the country’s most influential state and federal public servants.
The board of Transport Australia includes high-profile figures such as Kevin Devlin, the chief public servant of the Victorian Big Build, alongside his counterparts from New South Wales and the Commonwealth. Senior executives from major government contractors also sit on the board, making the inquiry’s request a significant development in the ongoing investigation into infrastructure project management and potential corruption.
Background and Implications
This latest move by the Queensland inquiry adds pressure on the Victorian government led by Premier Jacinta Allan, as well as other states. It follows reports of closed-door discussions by the Transport Australia board in early 2025, which addressed corruption and cost overruns in Victoria’s $100 billion infrastructure scheme and other taxpayer-funded projects nationwide.
During a board meeting last March, an estimate was agreed upon that suggested industrial lawlessness and criminal activities were inflating costs by up to 30% on major public projects. Premier Allan has previously dismissed these estimates as unfounded.
Union Influence and Project Delays
Further complicating matters, the inquiry heard allegations that the CFMEU, a powerful construction union, attempted to influence contractor selection on Brisbane’s $19 billion Cross River Rail project and pushed for unlawful industrial agreements. Similar issues have been reported on Victorian and New South Wales projects.
Documents obtained under freedom of information laws reveal that the consortium building the North East Link project in Victoria complained in 2023 about CFMEU actions delaying construction. The federal government has invested $5 billion in this project, which has faced significant delays and cost overruns.
“During this month the CFMEU prevented the surveyors from carrying out their duties effectively,” the March 2023 progress report stated. “This has had a negative impact on progress re setting out etc. But workarounds have been developed by the site team.”
Expert Opinions and Political Reactions
Despite the mounting evidence and calls for a royal commission, Premier Allan has resisted initiating a major inquiry into the corruption allegations. Opposition transport infrastructure spokesman Evan Mulholland criticized Allan, stating she was repeatedly warned about the CFMEU’s disruptive behavior, which added costs and caused delays on construction sites.
Allan acknowledged that Kevin Devlin had privately raised concerns about serious wrongdoing on the Big Build projects but maintained that investigations did not find systemic issues. She emphasized her administration’s commitment to addressing any criminal behavior, having referred matters to Victoria Police.
“When Kevin Devlin raised with me in a meeting in June 2023 that he was aware of anecdotal claims of alleged criminal behavior, I ordered for those claims to be investigated by the agency with the Department of Transport at the time,” Allan stated.
Looking Forward
The Queensland Commission of Inquiry’s actions could lead to subpoenas for Devlin and other officials to testify about their knowledge of corruption and whether these concerns were communicated to politicians and ministers. This increased scrutiny may prompt further investigations into infrastructure project management practices across Australia.
As the inquiry progresses, the implications for state and federal governments are significant. The findings could influence future infrastructure policies and contractor selection processes, potentially leading to stricter oversight and accountability measures.
With the inquiry’s revelations unfolding, stakeholders and the public alike await the outcomes that could reshape the landscape of Australia’s infrastructure development.
