The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) has teamed up with the Local Government Inspectorate and Victorian Ombudsman to education Victorians on how and where to report wrongdoing in Local Government.
The Agencies have released a new video entitled My Local Council: if something is not right, who do I complain to?, explaining which Integrity Agency people should complain to about issues and suspected wrongdoing with Council matters, Councillors, and Local Government officials.
In a statement, IBAC said the video was timely given the upcoming Council elections on 24 October.
Deputy Commissioner of IBAC, David Wolf said Integrity Agencies relied on the information provided by citizens to effectively detect and address corruption.
“We want Victorians to know they can safely and easily let us know if they suspect something is not right with their local Council,” Mr Wolf said.
“Councils are really core to how our communities function,” he said.
“The community must have confidence that they act in the best interest of their constituents.”
Mr Wolf said the new video was one example of how Integrity Agencies worked together to detect and expose activities which undermined the foundations of democracy.
Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass said she hoped the video encouraged more Victorians to speak up if they had an issue involving their local Council and encouraged Councils to welcome feedback from their communities.
The Agencies’ 3-minute video can be accessed on YouTube at this PS News link.
