{
  "id": 14597223,
  "title": "Senior Victorian public servants hid loss of up to $285m from Covid grants given to ineligible businesses",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/senior-victorian-public-servants-hid-loss-of-up-to-285m-from-covid",
  "topic": "health",
  "section": "Health & Medicine",
  "published": "2026-10-15T02:39:06.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Guardian",
    "slug": "the-guardian",
    "url": "https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2026/oct/15/vic-gov-hid-285m-loss-from-covid-grants-corruption-watchdog-ibac-finds-ntwnfb"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "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.",
  "summary": "An investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) found that senior public servants in Victoria withheld information regarding losses from COVID-19 business support grants. ABC News AU reports that three public servants withheld information from the minister for industry support, Martin Pakula, rather than reporting a design and application error. This error involved businesses backdating their GST registration to qualify for payments.\n\nThe scale of the loss varies by report. The Guardian states the Victorian government spent an estimated $257 million on support grants, while ABC News AU reports that IBAC found approximately $257 million was paid to more than 9,000 ineligible businesses. ABC News AU further notes that during 2021-2022, public servants suspected that as much as $285 million may have been paid to ineligible businesses.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 3,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "ABC News AU",
        "title": "COVID-19 grants paid to 9,000 ineligible Victorian businesses",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/covid-19-grants-paid-to-9-000-ineligible-victorian-businesses",
        "published": "2026-10-15T00:30:03.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Guardian Australia",
        "title": "Senior Victorian public servants hid loss of up to $285m from Covid grants given to ineligible businesses",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/15/senior-victorian-public-servants-hid-loss-of-up-to-285m-from-covid-14599356",
        "published": "2026-10-15T02:39:06.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}