Premier Ben Carroll has failed his own integrity test by refusing to sack his “friend” Tony Bates.
Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission’s (IBAC) Operation Richmond made adverse findings against Ben Carroll’s handpicked Department of Education Secretary, Tony Bates, for his misconduct in the negotiation of the Country Fire Authority Enterprise Bargaining Agreement (EBA), the Metropolitan Fire Brigade EBA, and the establishment of Fire Rescue Victoria.
IBAC found that the actions of Premier Andrews, Minister Jennings and Mr Bates over this period were contrary to government policy, procedures, convention and their respective codes of conduct. IBAC also found that Mr Bates failed the integrity test.
In Parliament in February 2016, Ben Carroll congratulated Tony Bates for receiving a Public Service Medal for his “outstanding work” at Victoria Police, stating “I am extremely proud to be able to call him a friend”.
Shadow Attorney-General, James Newbury, said: “Ben Carroll is a fraud. He claims that integrity is no longer optional, yet has failed to sack his friend who has been found to have acted without any.
“Tony Bates is Ben Carroll’s handpicked secretary and someone the Premier is ‘extremely proud’ to call a friend – is it any wonder why Ben won’t sack him?
“Corruption is in Labor’s DNA and Ben Carroll is no different. Victoria may have a new Premier, but it’s the same corrupt government.
“The only way to clean up Victoria is to change the government this November.”
