Operation Daintree clears Daniel Andrews and ministers, but criticises actions of political staffer
An anti-corruption investigation has found a Victorian government adviser “improperly influenced” the awarding of a $1.2m contract to a union, with a former minister telling investigators that staff in Daniel Andrews’ office had “tentacles everywhere”.
“Around the world, commentators have observed a growing politicisation of public administration through the enlargement of political executives’ roles, political appointments at senior administrative levels, partisanship in promotions and the increased use of ministerial advisors,” the Ibac report reads.“Accompanying this trend has been a tolerance, or, on occasion, tacit encouragement of rule avoidance, bending and breaking.
Ibac said Asmar initially lobbied a senior adviser in the PPO, before moving on to a senior adviser to the health minister – neither of whom have been identified by the commission. Ibac said that, during the three-month procurement process, the health minister’s adviser contacted DHHS staff on several occasions, including to ask “why it was taking so long”.
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