Urgent talks ordered over IBAC after former mayor Amanda Stapledon’s death
A Victorian senator has broken down during a tribute to Amanda Stapledon, saying the former Casey mayor was “driven to the brink” by IBAC.
Victoria
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Victorian Liberal Senator Sarah Henderson has broken down in a tribute to Amanda Stapledon, saying the Morrison government would not have “blood on its hands” with its proposed corruption watchdog.
The federal government has been accused of putting forward an anti-corruption model without teeth.
But Senator Henderson on Wednesday issued a warning about the dangers of implementing Labor’s proposed model.
“As a tribute to Amanda Stapledon and all those other victims of anti-corruption commissions who have been subjected to false allegations, whose lives have been destroyed; we are not going to follow that model,” she said in a speech to the Upper House.
“We are not going to have blood on our hands. We are not going to embrace your model.”
Senator Henderson became emotional speaking about Ms Stapledon’s disabled son, who has “now been left on his own”.
“You think about the consequences of putting someone into a star chamber, under the most extraordinary pressure, arguably false allegations driving this woman to the brink,” she said.
“Shame on those opposite for not recognising that natural justice, in an integrity commission, is important.”
A parliamentary committee was holding urgent talks on Wednesday amid allegations Victoria’s anti-corruption agencies have blood on its hands over the former mayor’s death.
Amanda Stapledon, who gave evidence to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission in 2020 about her dealings with developer John Woodman, was found dead by police last month.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission finalised a report for the state parliament on the long-running investigation, called Operation Sandon, a day earlier.
It probed allegations Mr Woodman used political donations and bribes to solicit favourable planning decisions in Melbourne’s southeast.
Ms Stapledon was mayor of City of Casey in 2018, and told IBAC she had met Mr Woodman before being elected to the role.
She told IBAC she had received a $25,000 donation from Mr Woodman to run for state parliament as a Liberal candidate in 2014.
Mr Woodman has claimed the donation was requested by Ms Stapledon, but the former mayor maintained that the cash was “offered” by the developer.
A complaint to the parliament’s Integrity and Oversight Committee has requested it recommend an immediate performance audit of both IBAC and the Victorian Inspectorate.
The complaint alleges Ms Stapledon had expressed suicidal ideations as early as April last year following her public examination by IBAC.
A separate complaint, to the Victorian Inspectorate on April 18, 2021, said conversations with Ms Stapledon and another witness had highlighted the damaging effects of IBAC and Operation Sandon’s public examination process.
It referred to “the extremely negative effect IBAC’s modus operandi had on witnesses’ mental health” and warned “very real concerns that suicide would be the outcome.”
Parliament’s Oversight and Integrity Committee has been told the April 2021 complaint was ignored for seven months.
A subsequent response made no reference to concerns about the possibility of witnesses committing suicide.
“Given the terrible effect that the draft report had on Amanda Stapledon, we hold great concerns for the wellbeing of many of the Operation Sandon witnesses if the final report is made public,” the Oversight and Integrity Committee has been told.
“We fully support the investigation of corruption at every level, however, our concerns lie with the manner in which Operation Sandon has been carried out and the terribly legacy the public examinations have created.”
The Victorian Inspectorate has been asked to use its power to suppress release of the final report.
The Oversight and Integrity Committee will meet on Wednesday afternoon, two weeks earlier than scheduled, to hold urgent talks.
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