Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission reveals surveillance, secret hearings
Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog used surveillance devices during six secretive operations in the past year, while also holding 64 days of private hearings with 111 witnesses.
News
Don't miss out on the headlines from News . Followed categories will be added to My News.
Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog used bugs, hidden cameras and tracking devices during investigations in the past financial year.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission also held 64 days of private hearings during its investigations of serious corruption and misconduct — the most in three years.
The closed-door hearings — the existence of which cannot spoken about by those who give evidence — heard from 111 witnesses, up from 91 the year before and 37 in 2016-17. IBAC told parliament this week that it had successfully sought warrants to monitor individuals involved in half a dozen probes of corruption and misconduct.
Its officers planted listening devices in all cases, while they also used tracking devices four times, and surveillance cameras on another four occasions.
In its annual report, which was also tabled this week, IBAC revealed that it had received 2347 complaints and notifications from members of the public and government departments and agencies during the 2018-19 financial year.
The watchdog assessed 5812 allegations — and 102 prompted full investigations.
Of the reports made to IBAC, 62 per cent of allegations involved Victoria Police, 24 per cent related to the public service and 9 per cent involved local councils. Allegations against people in parliament and the judiciary made up 1 per cent each.
The watchdog started 16 complex investigations last year and finalised another eight, with 30 investigations and preliminary inquiries ongoing as of June 30.
Its report showed that 22 of its probes resulted in formal recommendations, and state and federal criminal charges were laid against 16 people.
“These prosecutions help to expose corrupt conduct in the public sector and police misconduct, as well as informing the community of the adverse consequences of corruption for those involved,” IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich said.
MORE NEWS
NAZI UNIFORM GANG CRASHES OKTOBERFEST
MIDWIFE TO FIGHT WATCHDOG OVER SOCIAL POSTS
MUM’S TRICK OR TREAT FEARS FOR THREE-YEAR-OLD
Public sector cases reviewed by IBAC included:
A SCHOOL information officer who allegedly used listening devices to record teachers and feed information to the principal;
COUNCIL officers who misappropriated the profits from cash sales of soft drinks in their depot;
CORRECTIONS staff who allegedly withheld payments from a cleaning company to force the owner to reduce its hourly rate.
Mr Redlich also used the report to highlight that IBAC was facing resourcing challenges as it increased the number of police misconduct investigations. A cross-party parliamentary committee had recommended that the watchdog’s powers and resources be boosted last year.