A corruption commissioner has highlighted serious risks ahead of local government elections. 

David Wolf, the Deputy Commissioner of the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), has emphasised the importance of strengthening integrity frameworks as communities across Victoria prepare for the October council elections.

As elections approach, the significance of robust measures to prevent corruption cannot be overstated, Wolf says. 

He said that local councils, given their resources and responsibilities, must be equipped with strong integrity systems to effectively identify and prevent corruption.

Wolf noted that the cost of corruption extends beyond financial loss; it also diminishes public trust in local councils and disrupts the delivery of essential services. 

He highlighted that corruption in local government, often involving conflicts of interest, misuse of positions, and procurement fraud, has been a recurring issue across Victoria.

A significant example of such corruption was unveiled in IBAC's Operation Sandon. 

This investigation, completed in 2023, exposed deep-seated corruption in the City of Casey, where councillors were found to have been influenced by property developers over more than a decade. 

The investigation revealed that councillors manipulated governance processes, accepted donations without declaring them, and allowed improper lobbying to influence council decisions. 

Wolf identified several lessons from Operation Sandon that could help mitigate corruption risks in local councils. 

He stressed the need for a well-communicated process for reporting corruption, the importance of leadership in modelling ethical behaviour, and the requirement for up-to-date policies that staff and councillors are fully aware of. 

“An organisational culture of integrity that genuinely supports and encourages people to speak up is vitally important in exposing and ultimately preventing public sector corruption,” Wolf said.

As the October elections approach, Wolf reminded the community of their role in preventing corruption by carefully considering the merits of council candidates and monitoring campaign activities to ensure that public resources are not misused.