Victorian IBAC was warned someone will die

Two years before a witness in an anti-corruption investigation took her life, Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog was warned its probe was putting lives at risk.

Former Casey councillor Amanda Stapledon – who faced a two-day grilling by IBAC – took her own life last month. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog was warned two years before a former mayor took her life last month that its high-profile investigation into councillors in Melbourne’s southeastern suburbs risked driving some witnesses to suicide.

Ex-Liberal MP Inga Peulich wrote to IBAC in March 2020 about Operation Sandon – the agency’s probe into dealings ­between a property developer and Casey councillors – stating: “I hope no one ends up with blood on their hands.”

In her complaint to IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich, dated March 12, Ms Peulich said public hearings had resulted in “character assassination” and devastated witnesses, and she held concerns for their welfare.

Former Casey mayor Amanda Stapledon was questioned in public for two days by IBAC on March 16 and 17, during which evidence emerged of a property developer making a $25,000 contribution to her 2014 state election campaign as a Liberal candidate.

Ms Stapledon, 58, died by suicide on January 17 this year. The Australian has confirmed that she and other witnesses received draft findings from IBAC just days ­before the tragedy.

Ms Peulich, who served as a Liberal MP for more than two decades representing electorates in the Casey region, and who knew Ms Stapledon, did not identify specific witnesses in her March 2020 complaint to IBAC but acted after ­becoming aware several were struggling and the problem was widening among the group.

“The reporting surrounding the public IBAC hearings of Operation Sandon is a travesty of justice,” Ms Peulich stated in the complaint. “I am personally ­appalled at the character assassination that the public nature of the hearings has unleashed that will, as seen in the article below, have a devastating lifetime impact on witnesses’ lives.

“I am also aware that at least 4 witnesses have experienced suicidal ideation and that one was recently hospitalised for attempted suicide. For goodness sake, hold the inquiries out of the public eye so that the hyenas of the media do not tear these people apart.

“An IBAC investigation should happen in private and the wrongdoers should be dealt with by ­respective agencies but what the IBAC process unleashes is more devastating than any punishment that may be reasonably meted out.

Ex-Liberal MP Inga Peulich. Picture: Getty Images

“I am really appalled at the process and without over reacting, I hope no one ends up with blood on their hands.”

On Tuesday, Ms Peulich told The Australian she would send her correspondence with IBAC, and a subsequent complaint to the Victorian Inspectorate, the body that monitors IBAC, to the Victorian Coroner.

“I wrote to IBAC on successive occasions warning them of possible suicides and expressing serious concerns that the damage caused by public hearings using inquisitorial questioning was more harmful to witnesses and their families than any punishment that could be meted out by a court,” she said.

“IBAC pushed these people to the limit, and beyond. I will be forwarding copies of my correspondence to the coroner to consider if IBAC operations may have contributed to the death of former councillor Stapledon, causing harm out of proportion to any wrongs which may have been committed. Reform of IBAC is desperately needed.”

Ms Peulich was named in passing during IBAC’s public hearings, but she was not called as a witness.

In its response to Ms Peulich, dated April 14, 2020, IBAC defended its conduct in Operation Sandon, saying public examinations were an important part of its ability to “meet its purpose which includes the investigation, ­exposure and prevention of serious corrupt conduct”.

IBAC chief executive Marlo Baragwanath told Ms Peulich that it took the welfare of witnesses “very seriously” and a range of support measures were in place for their “health, safety and wellbeing”. Responding to questions from The Australian on Tuesday, Ms Baragwanath said IBAC was “saddened to hear of the sudden death of Ms Stapledon”, but said the agency’s role was to “thoroughly investigate allegations of corruption”.

“Public examinations are an important part of IBAC’s ability to meet this purpose. IBAC strives to carry out all of its investigations in line with its core values of professionalism, fairness and respect,” she said.

Ms Baragwanath said unlike other integrity commissions in the nation, IBAC had a legislative threshold it must meet before it could examine any witness in public.

“It must be satisfied that in examining the witness it will not cause unreasonable damage to the witness’s reputation, safety or wellbeing. That means that cogent evidence must exist of conduct by the witness of sufficient gravity to justify publicly examining the witness,” she said.

“The evidence in Operation Sandon made publicly available by IBAC revealed compelling evidence of misconduct which were fairly explored with all witnesses. Some witnesses openly acknowledged the misconduct.”

Ms Baragwanath said IBAC would assist any coronial inquest into Ms Stapledon’s death.

Police are preparing a report for the coroner’s court, which confirmed there was an “active investigation” into the death of Ms Stapledon. “The court can confirm that the death of Amanda Stapledon has been referred to the coroner for investigation,” a spokesman said.

Ms Stapledon’s close friends and supporters pin blame for her suicide on IBAC. One said the counselling services offered by IBAC were useless. “All she said was ‘are you alright dear? If you need me, I’ll be over here’,” the friend said. “My statement (to the police) lays the blame fair and square with IBAC.”

A friend said the former mayor was not corrupt and that the two-year investigation had left her paranoid her phone was being tapped by IBAC and fearful her reputation was destroyed.

“Even before she gave evidence, she was petrified she was being bugged all the time. Even the last time I saw her, she said ‘can you switch off your phone?’” the friend said.

The friend said her supporters tried to rally around her.

“She did not take one cent. She did not benefit from anything,” the friend said.

“Amanda was devastated that this had all come up. We kept saying to her that the prosecutor won’t necessarily proceed with charges. We would say ‘what have you done? Have you killed someone? No. You are not corrupt’.

“We would tell her that we know you as the person we know, not the person IBAC has made you out to be.”

Ms Stapledon confided in friends that she had been told that, if charged, it could cost her $400,000 in legal fees to try to clear her name, and this would force her to sell her family home, which she desperately wanted to keep for her disabled adult son.

“Her sole focus was on keeping her house for (her son), so he had a home for life,” one friend said.

“She said she would have to sell the house (to fund the legal bill). She’s done this (taken her life) to save (her son) a home.”

Operation Sandon probed the allegedly corrupt property developer John Woodman, who was ­accused of using political ­donations to deliver favourable planning decisions from Casey councillors. Mr Woodman told IBAC the $25,000 was requested by Ms Stapledon, but the former mayor said the cash was ­“offered” by the developer.

Friends believe Ms Stapledon took her life on the evening of Monday, January 17. Her body was found in a car on Stringybark Drive, in Cranbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens, at 12.30pm the next day. Her funeral is on Wednesday.

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