Community Consultation on IBAC, Victorian Ombudsman & Auditor-General

Community tunnel picket and friends at the Regent Theatre, 28 August 2014

Community tunnel picket and friends at the Regent Theatre, 28 August 2014

Are you appalled by our democractic processes being steadily undermined by vested interests? Do you remain crapped off by the disgusting East West Link “side letter” and those contracts hastily drafted before the November 2014 state election? Do you remember that Abbott all but approved East West Link back in 2012 before he even stepped foot inside the PM’s office?

Why not utilise this consultation as a platform to get your opinions known – and if you want – we’ll publish your submission on the YCAT site.

Community Consultation on IBAC, the Victorian Ombudsman and the Auditor-General – submissions close 20 May 2016

The Victorian Government is committed to ensuring a robust integrity and accountability system for Victoria. Victorians are entitled to expect that the public sector will act with integrity and be accountable for its decisions. While the primary responsibility to act with integrity lies with public bodies and officers, Victoria’s integrity and accountability bodies, including the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), the Victorian Ombudsman and the Auditor-General, play a critical role by providing avenues for complaint and independent oversight of the public sector.

The Victorian Government wants to hear your views on key issues about the role and operation of these bodies as part of its extensive review of the integrity and accountability system. The Government has developed discussion papers inviting input on:

     – IBAC’s public examinations and IBAC’s role in preventing corruption in the public sector
     – the Victorian Ombudsman’s continuing role in the Victorian integrity and accountability system, and
     – the role of the modern Auditor-General in the Victorian integrity and accountability system

Additional background:

East West Link “Letter of Guarantee” demands investigation (6 February 2015)

Here is a copy of the East West Link “side letter” to the consortium, signed by the Napthine Government that blackmails Victorian taxpayers.

The timing of this document being signed before November 2014 State Election surely demands further investigation via either a Royal Commission, the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), if it had beefed up powers or a federal Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC).

Surely former Treasurer Michael O’Brien would be aware of the principles of accountability and good governance put forward by The Honourable Tony Fitzgerald AC QC:

Govern for the peace, welfare and good government of the State;
Make all decisions and take all actions, including public appointments, in the public interest without regard to personal, party political or other immaterial considerations;’
Treat all people equally without permitting any person or corporation special access or influence; and
Promptly and accurately inform the public of its reasons for all significant or potentially controversial decisions and actions.
The former treasurer treated people with contempt when putting the political interests of the former State LNP government ahead of the public interest.

Ugly smell of corruption moves from Spring Street to Collins Street (25 August 2014)

YCAT Editorial – Victoria needs an urgent ban on political donations by developers.

A Liberal Party “Infrastructure dinner” on Thursday 28th August 2014 is selling tables to major construction firms and developers for $10,000 each.

This is no different to the NSW MP who sold a picture for $10,000 more than it was worth. Another NSW MP “forgot” about $10,000 he received in a paper bag and the former Premier who “forgot” a $3,000 bottle of Grange Hermitage wine.

In NSW, politicians who receive $10,000 from developers are investigated by their ICAC and forced to resign.

In Victoria they become “Friends of Denis Napthine” and are given favoured access.

Victoria needs to legislate a ban on political donations from developers.