Ombudsman Wayne Lines says $14.5 million ICAC funding boost is perplexing, says questions should be asked about value for money
A $14.5 MILLION funding boost for the state’s anti-corruption watchdog to hold open maladministration and misconduct hearings is “perplexing”, South Australia’s Ombudsman says.
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A $14.5 MILLION funding boost for the state’s anti-corruption watchdog to hold open maladministration and misconduct hearings is “perplexing”, South Australia’s Ombudsman says.
Ombudsman Wayne Lines said the funding was perplexing given Independent Commissioner Against Corruption Bruce Lander held only about two or three misconduct or maladministration hearings each year.
Mr Lines told the Crime and Public Integrity Committee that “real questions had to be asked” about ICAC’s value for money due to a lack of “big” corruption cases in its first five years of operation.
The Advertiser yesterday revealed Mr Lander’s office would receive the $14.5m cash injection, to be spread across four years, to allow him to prepare for public hearings.
The funding includes cash for more staff, IT upgrades, office improvements and setting up a special “public hearing facility”.
Mr Lines told the committee his office investigated about at least 15 times more maladministration or misconduct matters than Mr Lander did, on top of its core business.
He said his office received no funding for conducting about 50 maladministration or misconduct hearings each year, which are referred to him by Mr Lander.
The Ombudsman receives just over $3 million in funding each year, well below Mr Lander’s $10 million annual budget.
“Those 50 (maladministration and misconduct investigations) constitute about half of the formal investigations that my office does,” Mr Lines said.
“I’m perplexed that the ICAC is now getting $15 million, ostensibly because of this public hearing proposal, but up to now the ICAC has been investigating two or three matters a year on maladministration or misconduct.
“And that appears to be shifting the whole emphasis of ICAC. My understanding of ICAC is that he was primarily focused on corruption, detecting corruption.”
Mr Lines said Mr Lander’s office had only uncovered a “sprinkling” of misconduct and misbehaviour in public office, but had yet to uncover organised corruption in government.
“In terms of value for money, real questions have to be asked. ICAC has been in place for five years and is meant to be focusing on corruption. Where are the big cases of corruption?” he said.
The committee is examining legislation aimed at letting Mr Lander hold inquiries in public for the first time.
Mr Lines said public hearings should be reserved “for the most serious cases” and said witnesses should have an absolute right of appeal against the decision to hold them.
Former Supreme Court judge Kevin Duggan, now the ICAC Reviewer, said he was supportive of the move to allow Mr Lander to hold hearings in public.
He also rejected explosive claims from respected lawyer Michael Abbott QC that Mr Lander presided over a “Star Chamber” and abused his power.
“On no occasion have I encountered an abuse by the Commissioner of any of his powers,” Mr Duggan said.
Mr Lander, who was originally scheduled to appear before the committee on Wednesday, will give evidence next Monday.