The Victorian Greens have said that IBAC should always have enough funds to investigate corruption, following reports that the independent body is being short-changed by the state government.
Victorian Greens spokesperson for integrity, Dr Tim Read, said that by ignoring IBAC’s repeated calls for funding, the state government would be allowing important allegations of corruption to be buried.
As stated by Victorian Greens spokesperson for integrity, Dr Tim Read:
“The state government must guarantee that IBAC will always have enough funds to investigate any corruption it chooses.
“IBAC has shown their value time and time again, more recently by uncovering the money trail between a property developer, councillors and MPs in the Casey Council scandal.
“We might understand some lack of enthusiasm from Government, but a reluctance to fund the Commission suggests they fear further scrutiny.
“The Greens have written to the government calling for IBAC to have a new Police Corruption and Misconduct Division, which would also need to be funded, so that allegations of serious police misconduct are not left to police to investigate.
“The coming state budget will be the test of whether the state government is serious about the investigation of corruption and police misconduct in Victoria.”
