Strong Royal Commission and IBAC reforms key to win back Victorian’s trust
Leading anti-corruption NGO, Transparency International (TI) Australia called on newly installed Victorian Premier Carroll to ensure the Royal Commission Big Build corruption has the broadest possible scope and for the government to prioritise changes to IBAC.
The Royal Commission’s term of reference must not only examine the infiltration of organised crime gangs and criminals into the CFMEU and the construction sector, but also the relationship and influence between the government, the CFMEU and criminal actors.
It must forensically examine to what extent the Allan Government choose to look the other way, or even enable, the blatant corruption and wrongdoing that has plagued the Big Build.
Importantly, it must examine the weakness in Victoria’s integrity safeguards, such as IBAC and the Victorian police, that allowed such serious and systemic corruption to take hold and put forward clear recommendations to prevent corruption and criminality in the future.
Clancy Moore, CEO, Transparency International Australia, said:
“Only a Royal Commission with broad terms of reference and strong coercive powers will truly uncover what went wrong, who was responsible and what needs to change.
“This is key for Premier Carroll to have any credibility with voters.
“The new Premier must also bring forward planned IBAC reforms including new ‘follow the money’ powers, changes to broaden its ability to investigate corruption that might not reach the threshold for a criminal offence and strong corruption prevention powers.
“The Costigan Royal Commission and Fitzgerald Inquiry show how a broad scope of inquiry can lead to real accountability and systemic changes that detect, prevent and combat corruption.”