By Lucy Carroll
The state’s corruption watchdog is investigating allegations about the conduct of the former chief executive of School Infrastructure NSW, and other staff and contractors at the agency, confirming it will hold a public inquiry into the matter next month.
Last year the Herald revealed the NSW government had referred Anthony Manning, the former head of School Infrastructure, to the Independent Commission Against Corruption.
In a statement released on Wednesday, ICAC confirmed it was investigating allegations bureaucrats from School Infrastructure awarded lucrative contracts to friends and business associates. It will hold a six-week public inquiry starting on May 5 as part of an investigation called Operation Landa.
Former Schools Infrastructure NSW chief executive officer Anthony Manning.Credit: Janie Barrett
The powerful anti-corruption body is investigating if Manning and other staff or contractors at School Infrastructure NSW “partially exercised their official functions” by intentionally subverting appropriate recruitment practices to benefit friends and business associates.
It is also investigating if contracts were improperly awarded to friends and business associates, and if funds were misallocated from school projects to favour particular businesses and to fund consultancy positions for friends and business associates.
ICAC is also investigating whether Manning, then-human resource strategic adviser Wendy O’Brien, and others, “dishonestly exercised their official function by taking reprisal action against certain staff following complaints or public interest disclosures at School Infrastructure NSW”.
Conduct between 2017 and 2024 is being examined.
School Infrastructure, which is responsible for building and maintaining the state’s 2200 public schools, has been folded into the NSW Education Department.
Last July, the Herald reported that more than 30 new and upgraded school projects and 100 new public preschools were at risk after the state government mysteriously ended a major construction contract months after signing it.
The $40 million Manufacturing for Schools program used “modern methods of construction”, which aimed to cut costs of new schools by up to 20 per cent and construction time by up to 30 per cent. The contract was awarded to APP Group in February 2024 but was cancelled in July.
In a statement in July, the Department of Education said: “While the contract was not terminated because of an ICAC investigation, concerns have been raised on how the … tender was undertaken for this work, and we have referred those concerns to the ICAC.”
Manning was dismissed by the NSW Department of Education in February last year and received a termination payment. He was replaced by the deputy secretary of School Infrastructure NSW, Lisa Harrington, who is acting in the role. O’Brien left in March last year.
NSW Education Minister Prue Car said the government and department will “assist ICAC in every way during the course of its investigation”.
“On coming to office we were confronted by a schools-building arm that operated separately to the department. This led to duplication and overspending on consultants and contractors,” Car said.
“Concerns were also raised around governance, which we addressed on the advice of the department. The role of CEO was scrapped, with those responsibilities handed to a deputy secretary and crucial functions such as procurement, HR and legal integrated back into the department for better oversight and removal of duplication.
School Infrastructure NSW build, upgrade and maintain the state’s public schools.Credit: Dion Georgopoulos
“Over this period, the department has made a number of referrals to the ICAC. We cannot comment further on those referrals.”
The NSW government announced the Manufacturing for Schools program on February 29 last year, saying the program would deliver “cutting-edge construction techniques” including off-site manufacturing and “on-site assembly of prefabricated elements” to deliver high-quality school buildings faster.
At the time, the government said the program would deliver schools at Sydney Olympic Park and Box Hill, Jordan Springs, Gregory Hills/Gledswood Hills, Leppington and Medowie.
“A contract has been awarded to The APP Group for the manufacturing partnership,” the NSW government’s release said.
The APP Group, a property and infrastructure company, said in a statement on its website last year that “collaboration partners” include building contractors and manufacturers Lipman, Ark, MBM, WSP, Woods Bagot, Bennett and Trimble, Richard Crookes Constructions, and Roberts Co.
Commissioner Paul Lakatos, SC, will preside over the public inquiry, which is set down for up to six weeks.
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