Fears the veracity of corruption probes involving the government could be in doubt

Victoria’s Shadow Attorney-General has called on the Premier to pledge that the next IBAC commissioner will be “independent” and not “a Labor mate who’ll go soft on corruption”.

Shadow Attorney-General Michael O’Brien has called on Daniel Andrews to promise the next IBAC commissioner “will really be independent”.

It comes as senior integrity figures express concern about the risk Victoria’s next anti-corruption commissioner could move to play down probes involving the government.

Top-level bureaucrats are privately discussing concerns the government could exploit the selection process to appoint a Labor-friendly figure.

And they fear the veracity of corruption probes involving the government could be in doubt.

It is understood fears have increased amid concerns raised by former IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich about the conduct of the Labor-majority parliamentary committee charged with monitoring the state’s integrity agencies.

Mr O’Brien on Friday said Victoria could not afford to have “a Labor mate who’ll go soft on Labor corruption” as the next commissioner.

“The Coalition will be examining very carefully anybody who’s proposed for this role — any sense of a Labor relationship, any sense of Labor loyalties, Labor sympathies — they’ll be exposed because we cannot afford to have a Labor stooge as the IBAC commissioner,” Mr O’Brien said.

“We need somebody dedicated to fighting corruption, not covering it up.”

Bureaucrats are worried the selection process to appoint Victoria’s next anti-corruption commissioner could be exploited. Picture: Aaron Francis

Mr O’Brien said his party attempted to implement Mr Redlich’s recommendations for the Information and Oversight Committee (IOC) — which called for a non-government majority and chair — but were blocked by Labor.

“Labor has stacked the Integrity and Oversight Committee. Four out of the seven members are Labor Party members — it’s got a Labor chair,” he said.

“Labor used their numbers to steamroll that and stack the committee themselves.”

Mr O’Brien has called for a parliamentary or judicial inquiry into the allegations.

The government is currently in the process of selecting a new IBAC commissioner, with the state opposition calling for a bipartisan consultation on the appointment.

But the committee at the centre of Mr Redlich’s complaint, the powerful Integrity and Oversight Committee, has veto powers over the appointment.

In an explosive letter to the parliament’s presiding officers, the details of which were revealed by the Herald Sun on Thursday, Mr Redlich accused government MPs of launching revenge attacks on IBAC in retaliation for a series of probes into its dealings.

Outgoing IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich wrote an explosive letter about Labor’s revenge attacks. Picture: AAP

Among the most serious allegations is that government MPs directed independent auditors to “find dirt on IBAC and data that is not publicly available.”

“IBAC was advised that the IOC is looking for evidence to support a narrative that ‘IBAC is not performing’,” Mr Redlich said.

“What is most concerning is that it appears that the Chair and majority of the IOC Audit Sib-Committee seemed intent on casting IBAC in a negative light for what we can only assume were political reasons relating to the work undertaken by IBAC.”

When he was appointed in 2017 Mr Redlich was considered a “Labor friendly” hire.

A government press release spruiked him as “one of Victoria’s most eminent and well-respected jurists.”

However he became increasingly vocal against the government’s work as his term came to an end, and raised a series of concerns about IBAC’s funding and resources.

And he warned the centralisation of power around Premier Daniel Andrews’ private office had created an environment ripe for “soft corruption”.

He also called for greater powers.

Interim commissioner Stephen Farrow was appointed in October, and took over from Mr Redlich when his term finished in December.

Mr Farrow’s six month term is due to expire by June while the government completes a recruitment process to find a new commissioner.

On Friday, senior Labor minister Ingrid Stitt dismissed concerns the next commissioner could be a “Labor-friendly figure”.

Ms Stitt said there was “a vigorous recruitment process” to ensure an “appropriate” and non-partisan candidate would be selected.

“The IBAC commissioner will be chosen in accordance with the legislative requirements that are there and, of course, the appointment processes that are required of any appointment of this nature,” Ms Stitt said on Friday.

“I’ve got no doubt that the legislative requirements around the replacement of the IBAC commissioner, as well as the important appointment procedures that are required for every appointment that goes through the cabinet process, will be followed in this case as well.”