Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson has unveiled a detailed draft blueprint for a royal commission into the state’s multibillion-dollar Big Build infrastructure program, calling for an inquiry that extends well beyond allegations involving the construction industry and examines the political decisions that shaped Victoria’s biggest public works agenda.

The proposal escalates pressure on Premier Ben Carroll, whose newly installed Labor government has already committed to establishing a royal commission into corruption and misconduct connected with Victoria’s construction sector following months of controversy surrounding the CFMEU and government-funded projects.

Wilson said the Coalition’s proposed terms of reference should form the foundation of the inquiry and warned against what she described as a narrowly focused investigation limited to union misconduct or individual criminal activity.

Instead, she is calling for a comprehensive examination of how Victoria’s Big Build projects were conceived, approved, procured, funded and managed throughout Labor’s time in office since 2014.

Among the most significant elements of the Opposition’s proposal is a witness list that includes former premiers Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan, along with Premier Ben Carroll himself.

The draft also identifies former and current ministers, ministerial advisers, senior public servants, construction industry figures, union officials and other individuals who could potentially be called to provide evidence if commissioners determine their testimony is relevant.

Wilson argues that no individual involved in Victoria’s major infrastructure program should be automatically excluded from scrutiny.

“No stone should be left unturned” has become a central theme of the Coalition’s campaign, with the Opposition insisting that public hearings should examine not only alleged criminal conduct but also government decision-making, procurement practices, project governance, relationships with contractors and unions, and the management of billions of dollars in taxpayer funding.

The proposal follows one of the most dramatic political shifts in recent Victorian politics.

Only days after replacing Jacinta Allan as Premier, Ben Carroll announced that his government would establish a royal commission into the construction sector, reversing Labor’s previous resistance to such an inquiry.

Carroll said the Department of Premier and Cabinet had been instructed to prepare broad terms of reference and indicated he would be willing to appear before the commission himself if required.

Speaking after Wilson released the Opposition’s proposal, Carroll said he remained committed to an independent inquiry but rejected suggestions that the Coalition should dictate its scope.

He indicated the government’s own terms of reference would be released separately after appropriate legal and administrative work had been completed, adding that he wanted the commission to be both broad and independent.

The dispute centres on one of the most politically sensitive questions facing Victoria ahead of the November state election: exactly what the royal commission should investigate.

The Coalition argues the inquiry should not stop with allegations involving the CFMEU or organised crime on construction sites.

Instead, Wilson says it should examine whether government ministers, departments and agencies exercised appropriate oversight over the Big Build program, how major contracts were awarded, whether procurement processes were properly managed and whether public money was spent efficiently throughout the program’s expansion.

The Big Build is one of the largest infrastructure programs ever undertaken in Australia, encompassing dozens of transport, rail, road, hospital and urban renewal projects worth well over $100 billion.

Projects include the Metro Tunnel, North East Link, Suburban Rail Loop, level crossing removals and numerous regional transport upgrades.

Supporters argue the program will transform Victoria’s transport network for generations, while critics contend escalating costs, delays and governance failures have undermined public confidence.

Much of the recent controversy stems from allegations of criminal infiltration and misconduct within parts of Victoria’s construction industry.

Reports by barrister Geoffrey Watson SC alleged widespread corruption, intimidation, extortion and organised crime links involving elements of the CFMEU during work on government-funded projects. Those allegations intensified calls for a judicial inquiry capable of compelling witnesses and examining evidence under oath.

Integrity experts have broadly welcomed the decision to establish a royal commission, while emphasising that its effectiveness will ultimately depend on the breadth of its terms of reference.

Former IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich and Transparency International Australia have argued that only a sufficiently broad inquiry with strong coercive powers can fully determine what occurred, who was responsible and what reforms may be required to restore public confidence.

Political attention has also focused on the proposed witness list.

Daniel Andrews served as Premier throughout the launch and expansion of the Big Build, while Jacinta Allan held key infrastructure portfolios before becoming Premier in 2023. Ben Carroll also served in senior ministerial positions during much of the period now expected to fall within the inquiry’s potential timeframe.

Whether each of those figures is ultimately required to give evidence will depend on the final terms of reference adopted by the government and subsequent decisions made by the commissioner overseeing the inquiry.

Wilson has described the Opposition’s proposed framework as “non-negotiable” and warned that a future Coalition government could revisit or expand the inquiry if Labor establishes what she regards as an overly narrow commission.

The debate arrives at a politically delicate moment for Victorian Labor.

Ben Carroll has sought to present himself as the leader of a new administration following Jacinta Allan’s resignation, arguing that his government is committed to greater transparency and accountability.

Launching the royal commission was one of Carroll’s first major policy announcements after becoming Premier, signalling an effort to draw a line under months of controversy surrounding the construction sector.

For the Liberal Party, however, simply establishing a royal commission is not enough.

Wilson argues that Victorians deserve an inquiry capable of examining every stage of the Big Build’s planning, governance and delivery, including the political decisions made by successive Labor governments over more than a decade.

The final shape of the royal commission is expected to become clearer once the Victorian Government formally releases its own terms of reference.

Until then, the commission’s scope remains one of the most closely watched political issues ahead of Victoria’s November election, with both major parties attempting to convince voters they are best placed to restore integrity and public confidence in the state’s largest-ever infrastructure program.