By Mibenge Nsenduluka
Victoria’s corruption watchdog will review its practices after criticism from a coroner investigating the death of a former mayor.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has accepted recommendations from coroner David Ryan after he found delays by the watchdog affected Amanda Stapledon’s mental health before she took her own life.
Former Casey Council mayor Amanda Stapledon in 2018.Credit: Paul Jeffers
The former City of Casey mayor was being investigated by IBAC in a probe known as Operation Sandon when she died in January 2022.
In findings handed down on Tuesday, the coroner criticised IBAC for failing to keep witnesses informed and recommended a review of the agency’s policies.
“We will now review the operation of our legislation and associated practices and consider what we can do to address the issue raised,” an IBAC spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
The coroner found Stapledon gave evidence as part of the investigation into alleged corruption at the council in Melbourne’s south-east at least 10 months before her death. She had not been informed that criminal proceedings would not be brought against her.
Ryan said Stapledon’s uncertainty about whether she would be prosecuted caused her significant stress that worsened over time.
“It is likely that her stress and anxiety would have been appreciably alleviated had she been informed that on the evidence before it, IBAC was not contemplating and did not intend to bring criminal proceedings against her or refer her to any prosecutorial body,” he said.
Ryan said that while IBAC sent a letter to Stapledon’s lawyers four days before her death informing them that she would not be prosecuted, they had not read it before she died.
Stapledon was one of a group of former Casey councillors investigated by IBAC over dealings with allegedly corrupt developer John Woodman.
IBAC heard Stapledon failed to properly declare tens of thousands of dollars in political donations from Woodman over almost five years as the Casey council considered planning matters that were likely to generate windfall profits for Woodman and his developer clients.
In March 2020, Stapledon told IBAC that Woodman donated $25,000 for her 2014 tilt for the state seat of Narre Warren North in Melbourne’s south-east. He had also hosted a fundraiser, bought tickets to other fundraisers and donated a helicopter ride for auction.
Stapledon confirmed that throughout 2014, she failed to declare conflicts of interest as the council considered a controversial rezoning of land in Cranbourne West spearheaded by Woodman.
AAP
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