Calls for coroner ‘to probe IBAC’

IBAC is facing the threat of appearing at a coronial inquest over the suicide of a key witness in an anti-corruption investigation.

Former Casey mayor Amanda Staple­don. Picture: Chris Eastman

IBAC is facing the threat of appearing at a coronial inquest over the suicide of a key witness in an anti-corruption investigation that could open the agency’s secretive processes to public examination.

Victoria Police delivered its brief of evidence into the death of former Casey mayor Amanda Staple­don, who took her life three days after receiving IBAC’s draft report into her alleged involvement in suspect land deals, to the state’s coroner two weeks ago.

The Coroner’s Court confirmed the Stapledon brief was received on January 17 – on the first anniversary of her death – but said the coroner has ordered police to “compile additional information for the investigation” and was yet to decide whether an inquest would be held. “As this is an active investigation, no further comment can be made,” a court spokesperson said.

Stapledon, 58, took her life on January 17-18, 2022, after the Independent Broad-based Anti-­corruption Commission’s draft report into Operation Sandon was sent to her.

The long-running investi­gation into allegedly corrupt land deals involving Casey councillors and developer John Woodman, linked Stapledon, a Liberal candidate at the 2014 state election, to receiving undeclared political donations from Mr Woodman.

She was cross-examined in public and friends say she was left devastated, isolated and paranoid by the process; they blame IBAC for her death.

Before her death, IBAC had been warned that Operation Sandon witnesses were at risk.

Legal action by key witnesses has also delayed release of the final report into Operation Sandon. Asked by The Australian whether the coroner had requested a copy of the draft Operation Sandon report sent to Stapledon, an IBAC spokesperson said: “IBAC will fully co-operate with the Coroner’s Court, but as the matter is before the court, it would not be appropriate for us to comment any further.”

Mr Woodman has written to the coroner several times, pushing the case for a public inquest into the death of Stapledon. In the letters, he blames IBAC for the death, accusing it of breaching its legislation, and links her suicide to receiving the draft report.

‘‘This breach of the act in numerous statements included in the draft report … has without doubt caused Amanda Stapledon to commit suicide,’’ Mr Woodman wrote in an October 22 letter to the coroner.

In an earlier letter to the coroner, in August of last year, he stated: ‘‘Amanda suicided three days after receiving extracts from volume 1 and volume 2 associated with herself. Allegations made in the drafts are without evidence, in my opinion, and as the facts indicate and hence I believe (IBAC) in preparing and distributing this report in part to Amanda has committed negligent manslaughter.’’

In a letter dated December 12, Mr Woodman told the coroner that ‘‘inappropriate contents of the draft report regarding Amanda caused (her) to take her own life’’.

Former Casey mayor Sam Aziz, a key witness in Operation Sandon, has also called for the coroner to hold a public inquest into the death of his friend and Casey council colleague.

‘‘My dear friend took her life after receiving a copy of IBAC’s so-called report,’’ Mr Aziz told The Australian.

‘‘If it wasn’t for IBAC, Amanda would still be alive today.

“We must have a public ­inquest.”

If you or someone you know is at risk of suicide, call: Lifeline: 13 11 14 or lifeline.org.au; Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636 or beyondblue.org.au