Dozens more charged over alleged bribes-for-registration scheme

Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog has charged 28 more people as it investigates allegations staff at the Victorian Building Authority took bribes to register builders.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) announced on Thursday one VBA employee had been charged, along with 27 others outside the organisation who were either building registration applicants or had allegedly helped facilitate building registration applications for others.

Twenty-eight more people have been charged by Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog.Credit: Wayne Taylor

“These charges are in addition to six people who were charged as part of Operation Perseus in 2024, including two VBA employees, two building registration applicants and two other people involved in the alleged corrupt conduct,” the watchdog said in a short statement.

Last August, this masthead revealed three VBA staff had been stood down after IBAC raided several properties as it probed allegations of a bribes-for-registration scheme.

At the time, VBA chief executive Anna Cronin said the authority had referred suspicious activity to IBAC in June 2023, adding that the authority had been “supporting them with their investigation ever since”.

In March last year, the Allan government removed the board of the state building regulator and installed Cronin as the sole commissioner amid ongoing scrutiny of its operations since the 2022 suicide of building inspector Rob Karkut.

Karkut’s death led to two independent inquiries into the VBA’s workplace culture as his widow said he came under intense pressure to meet ambitious inspection targets.

Later, a lengthy investigation by The Age and 60 Minutes revealed inspectors had completed visual audits via iPhone instead of physically attending construction sites. This led to the resignation of former chief Sue Eddy.

The state government’s ambitious housing targets have increased the importance of the VBA’s role in regulating construction and ensuring new builds are up to scratch.

Those charged are scheduled to appear at Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on January 30.

Crisis support is available from Lifeline on 13 11 14.

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