Daniel Andrews defends decision to spend less on anti-corruption watchdog

Premier Daniel Andrews has defended his government’s decision to give $62.2m in funding to IBAC – despite the agency actually spending more than that last financial year.

Premier Daniel Andrews has defended the government’s decision to give IBAC less money than the corruption watchdog spent last year.

While IBAC received a $300,000 year-on-year increase in this week’s state budget, it only received $62.2m in funding despite the agency actually spending $62.9m in the last financial year.

But the Andrews government maintains this was not a budget cut but instead an IBAC overspend.

Mr Andrews said the agency had failed to provide the government with a submission in the lead up to the budget.

“I’m not here today to have a fight with any agency or anyone frankly but I think on four separate occasions, the Department of Treasury and Finance wrote to IBAC asking them to give the government a sense of what they want,” he said.

“They did not provide a budget bid. That’s a matter for them. That’s just a fact, but if I’m going to be criticised for not doing something, well then I’m entitled to point out the facts.

Premier Daniel Andrews said IBAC can request additional funding for special investigations or projects on top of its allocation in the budget. Picture: David Geraghty

“That’s a choice they’ve made. What else are we supposed to do? Take money from hospitals and schools to provide extra funding to people, who for their own reasons, decided not to even put a budget submission in.

“No, that will not be happening.”

Mr Andrews said IBAC can request additional funding for special investigations or projects on top of its allocation in the budget.

The revised figure in next year’s budget would reflect any approved increases.

A government spokeswoman said the agency received $61.9m in the 2022-23 budget, which was increased to $62.2m in 2023-24.

Last year while still in the job, former IBAC boss Robert Redlich called for significant changes to the way the organisation receives public funds, saying that funding decisions should be made and approved by the parliament rather than the government.

And in December last year, Mr Redlich wrote to the parliament’s presiding officers to raise serious concerns about potential misconduct by government MPs.

Former IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich had called for significant changes to the way the organisation receives public funds. Picture: AAP

The letter, which was obtained by the Herald Sun, detailed accusations that the government had launched revenge attacks on the watchdog.

Mr Andrews, who has repeatedly maintained that he had not read the letter because it was not addressed to him, on Wednesday rejected suggestions that decisions to not provide more funding to IBAC was part of a coordinated campaign against the integrity body.

“Anybody who is suggesting that would be simply wrong, and would be playing politics I would suspect,” he said.

It comes as funding to the Parliamentary Budget Office, the Auditor General, the Victorian Inspectorate and the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner will also be less in 2023-24 than the expected outcome for 2023-24.

Only the Victorian Ombudsman will receive a slight funding boost.

The Auditor General’s funding will fall from $33.7m to $29.8m, OVIC from $21.1m to $20.1m and the PBO from $3.9m to $3.4m.

Daniel Andrews has been involved in at least four known IBAC corruption probes. Picture: David Crosling

Shadow Special Minister of State David Davis this week accused Daniel Andrews of starving the independent integrity agencies of proper funding.

“Andrews is keeping the watchdogs on a short leash lest they bite him,” he said.

“He knows IBAC cannot do its work without proper funding and that is why he has closed it down – he wants to stop IBAC investigating his corrupt government.”

The Premier has been involved in at least four known IBAC corruption probes.

Last month, IBAC’s Operation Daintree report found “ample evidence of the misuse of power and influence by ministerial advisers and departmental executives who breached codes of conduct and established conventions”.

Four performance measures detailed in the budget showed IBAC failed to meet its expected outcome target because of increased volumes of complaints.

It also found the commission’s resources were being stretched by highly complex investigations.

Former Parliamentary Budget Officer Anthony Close, whose contract was not renewed earlier this month, also raised concerns about government funding.