Royce Millar is an investigative journalist with a special interest in public policy and government decision-making.
His move to the investigative unit in 2008 followed a three-year stint as city editor overseeing a team covering urban affairs, transport, local government and major Melbourne events such as the 2006 Commonwealth Games. For many years Royce specialised in planning, development, infrastructure and property in Melbourne.
More recently he has broken major stories on: water, including Victoria’s rivers and problems financing desalination; energy and environment policy, including the state of the Australian solar industry, the future of brown coal, and government bankrolling of electricity for aluminium giant, Alcoa.
Through 2009 Royce unearthed details of the gaoling of Australian development industry figures in Dubai, led media coverage of the scandal at Brimbank Council and related ALP branchstacking, and exposed dodgy dealings over a major coastal development at San Remo in Gippsland.
He also lifted the lid on the ‘cash-for-chat’ ties between business and the State Government through fund-raising arm, Progressive Business, and announced the leadership ambitions of ex-Carlton footballer turned State Labor MP, Justin Madden. Royce’s newspaper career began at a weekly in the Latrobe Valley, followed by stints on suburban papers and radio.
He has won a string of media awards including Melbourne Press Club Quills for transport and his expose of conflicts of interest at the City of Greater Geelong.