Senior Justice Department figures leave job suddenly
Tongues are wagging after two of Corrections Victoria’s most senior figures announced their snap departures this week, with the men reportedly not leaving on the best of terms as a major restructure looms.
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Two of the state’s most senior Justice Department bureaucrats are set to suddenly leave their jobs.
Corrections Victoria Deputy Commissioner Rod Wise and assistant commissioner Brendan Money will leave the Justice Department from next month.
But the snap departures have got tongues wagging across the prison system.
One source told the Herald Sun the bureaucrats were not leaving on the best of terms.
“They are not happy about it,” said the source.
Their sudden departures were announced to prison staff in a memo sent on Tuesday afternoon.
The major shake-up is the result of an upcoming Corrections Victoria restructure, according to the memo.
The Herald Sun understands other senior staff members may also be stood down as part of the shakeup.
General manager Nick Selisky wrote to staff: “The Prison General Managers met earlier today via video link up and were briefed regarding the roll out of the first stages of the Corrections Victoria restructure.”
“As part of this restructure it has been announced that Rod Wise and Brendan Money will be leaving the Department of Justice & Community Safety in early December 2019.
“This was the extent of the information provided and I will be sure to share further updates as they are announced.”
The department thanked both Mr Wise and Mr Money for their service.
When asked about the decision for both to stand down, a department spokeswoman said changes were necessary to address growing demands placed on the justice system.
She added the department needed to be “flexible and responsive” to the challenges ahead.
“The department is undergoing organisational change to enable it to deliver on its priorities across the corrections and justice systems,” she said.
“The department, including Corrections Victoria, and its leadership remain focused on delivering high quality services during this period of change and ensuring community safety.”
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The restructure comes amid heightened scrutiny of the prison system by the state’s workforce watchdog.
In February, WorkSafe Victoria established a specialised taskforce to probe a slew of allegations made by staff within Corrections Victoria.
These include claims of bullying and harassment.
There had been 54 improvement notices issued to prisons and juvenile justice centres in the five months to July.
It is anticipated many more notices have been issued since then.