THE Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission will hold public hearings next month into corruption allegations made against neighbouring Casey Council.
An IBAC media release stated that allegations of corrupt conduct involving councillors and property developers had been made. The public hearing will form part of an investigation into the allegations.
IBAC says that “the public hearings will consider whether public officers involved in planning and property development decisions have been improperly influenced through donations, gifts, pro bono services or other hospitality.”
IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich QC said “these public hearings will examine the transparency and integrity of planning and property development decisions, and whether lobbyists or planning consultants have had undue influence over state and local government planning and property development decisions.”
“More broadly, they will consider whether current systems and controls in place are sufficient to ensure the integrity of the planning process, and if serious corrupt conduct is identified, how organisational culture and practices may have fostered that conduct or prevented it from being detected and stopped.”
The hearings commence on 18 November.