Senior Victorian public servants hid loss of up to $285m from Covid grants given to ineligible businesses
Whistleblowers applauded as Ibac finds ‘decisions were made to withhold information about the magnitude of the loss’ Senior public servants in one state covered up losses suspected to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars arising from flawed Covid-19 business support payments, an investigation has found. During the pandemic, the Victorian government spent an estimated $257m on support grants…
An investigation by the Integrity Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has uncovered a cover-up by senior Victorian public servants involving billions of dollars in Covid-19 business support payments. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) report reveals that the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions, now the Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions, failed to disclose the true extent of the losses, which were estimated to be up to $285 million.
During the pandemic, the government spent an estimated $257 million on support grants to 9,000 ineligible businesses. The whistleblowers who reported the misconduct have been commended for their bravery in exposing the failures of senior public officials. IBAC commissioner Victoria Elliott emphasized the importance of transparency and accountability in the public sector, stating that the revelations should serve as a lesson for other organizations.
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