Two ex-senior South Australian public executives charged after ICAC investigations
South Australians will not be told the identities of two public servants accused of fleecing taxpayers, despite the anti-corruption watchdog officially charging them.
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The identities of two former senior State Government bureaucrats remain secret despite South Australia’s anti-corruption watchdog charging them with fleecing taxpayers.
The pair, who cannot be named, allegedly billed “private” expenses as public travel.
But despite the serious charges involving public money, Independent Commissioner Against Corruption, Bruce Lander, QC, pictured, on tonight refused to name them or reveal their public-sector agency employer.
As the case’s shadow hung over other innocent government workers, critics warned the public’s democratic right to know was being “throttled”.
The Advertiser is aware of their identities, but under state law, cannot publish any personal details or background.
In another blow to transparency, the row came a day after plans for open ICAC hearings were abandoned.
In a public statement today, Mr Lander accused them of lodging “expenses including airfares, accommodation and meals for travel that was for private purpose”.
A man, 62, of Goodwood, was charged on Thursday with two counts of abuse of public office, three counts of deception, one count of acting dishonestly and five counts of dishonestly dealing with documents.
His co-accused, a woman, 44, of Henley Beach, was charged five weeks ago with one count of abuse of public office and three counts of acting dishonestly.
She was not home yesterday.
Prosecutors will allege they “took steps to conceal their conduct” during a lengthy ICAC probe. They were bailed to appear in the Adelaide Magistrates Court next week.
A spokeswoman for Australia’s Right to Know coalition of media groups condemned the “ridiculous” secrecy that protected public servants “in ways that other members of society are not”. “This is a perverse decision that completely throttles the South Australian pub-lic’s democratic right to know,” she said. “Protecting these people from being identified undermines the interests of open justice and the public’s fundamental right to have access to such information.
“South Australians are right to be up in arms about this. It’s their money these people have allegedly misused. They have a right to know who these people are and which part of the government they work for.”
Greens MLC Mark Parnell said: “The fact that the charges arose from an ICAC investigation should not mean that the identities of the accused are automatically suppressed.”
Mr Lander said his decision mirrored that made by police.
“The reason I adopt that process is if that person is to be identified before the first court appearance, (they) would lose their right to apply for a suppression order,” he said. A former TAFE worker, 50, of Crystal Brook, was charged with other fraud crimes.
