维州州长本·卡罗尔宣布将对建筑、林业、海事、采矿和能源工会（CFMEU）建筑部门的腐败指控启动皇家委员会调查[1]。该委员会将重点检视黑帮和有组织犯罪如何在维州大型建设项目内运作[1]。这一决定出台之际，前州长贾辛塔·艾伦因建筑业腐败丑闻而辞职，该丑闻由Building Bad调查曝光，暴露了长达三年的腐败问题[1]。
根据调查指控，建筑业腐败导致维州基础设施支出增加约150亿澳元[1]。联邦政府已在两年前对该工会建筑部门实施管理员制度，期间撤换了超过300名工会领导和官员[1]。昆士兰进行的相关调查费用已上升至9500万澳元[1]。与此同时，建筑业工会组织密度已从2012年的17%下降至9.8%[1]，而国际透明组织将建筑业列为全球公认最腐败的行业之一[1]。
Victorian Premier Ben Carroll has announced a royal commission to investigate corruption allegations against the Construction, Forestry, Maritime, Mining and Energy Union (CFMEU) construction division [1]. The inquiry will examine how gangs and organized crime have operated within Victoria's major construction projects [1].
The investigation follows the Building Bad inquiry, which exposed three years of construction industry corruption that allegedly contributed to an additional A$15 billion in infrastructure spending for the state [1]. The previous Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan, resigned after the scandal came to light [1]. A federal administrator has already been imposed on the union's construction arm for two years, with more than 300 union leaders and officials removed [1].
The costs of similar inquiries have proven substantial, with Queensland's investigation reaching A$95 million [1]. Union density in the construction sector has declined from 17 percent in 2012 to 9.8 percent among workers [1], and Transparency International has identified the construction industry as one of the most corrupt globally [1].
