17th December 2021
Two of the three entities created to control Corruption have given up.
That is the most generous interpretation that can be applied to the report in the Herald Sun, 15th of December 2021, MPs urged to clean up parliament from corrupt behaviour, detailing views allegedly expressed by the Ombudsman Ms Glass, who coincidently is well regarded by the CAA, and the IBAC Commissioner.
They are seeking help from Parliamentarians to clean up Corruption. It is a questionable assumption that politicians all know about Corruption or imply they are involved in it.
Firstly inferring that politicians are corrupt as a class is sure to raise the ire of decent, hardworking politicians being tarred with the same brush. Secondly, this admission is an admission that the two agencies have failed – it cannot be interpreted any other way- exposing, fighting and charging the corrupt is their job.
The plaintive cry of the watchdogs reported,
“…the agencies admitted that new laws introduced after Labor’s redshirt scandal had not done enough to stop political parties from misusing public money for their political gain.”
Perhaps the watchdogs have not done enough – they blame the political parties. Parties or entities do not commit crimes; people do.
This admission is unbelievable, and given the legislation that already existed before the redshirts debacle, this is a terrible indictment on the agencies and their relevance or capacity to undertake the tasks they are charged with.
Both agencies should refresh or extend their knowledge of the Crimes Act 1958. They will find all the Powers they should ever need within those annals.
It is pointless for politicians to take action to solve the problem because some are the problem, and others clearly cannot expect support from the watchdogs that have admitted defeat.
The watchdogs have become just observers, not functionaries in the corruption arena.
It was not that long ago a politician used his issued government car to deliver goods for his hardware business, and he was charged and convicted. Fast forward, still preceding the Redshirts, and a Politician used his government allocated transport to ferry his dogs and was never charged. Why not?
The Crimes Act 1958 can be applied in that and the Redshirts Rort. And what about the Common Law charge of Misconduct in Public Office?
There are many other examples of corrupt conduct by both Politicians and bureaucrats, where the watchdogs have demonstrated there is just an inability or unwillingness to act, and now we know why – they have given up.
These agencies’ primary role is to investigate and where the legislation has been breached lay charges. It is not up to them to second guess the Courts; it is the Court’s role to determine guilt or innocence, not the watchdogs.
Time for a Truth and Integrity Commission willing to act in the public interest.
There are some good politicians they need to get rid of the bad ones with no entitlements or pay like The dicator. Clean the whole government across the board
Absolutely overdue
Maybe there is a connection between Vic Pol leadership, OPP and Dan Andrews. The Red Shirt was a farce enquiry by police as no one would be interviewed even though detectives investigating recommended charges be laid. In the slugate I Cook affair detectives recommended further enquiries but once again the top brass stepped in and said nothing to see here. Corruption Collusion ?????
The whole system is corrupt. From the judicial system to the parliamentarian to the police force. From laws being passed in secret meetings between MP’s to money laundering and paedophillia. It all needs to be stopped now!
You are right on the money…
Well at least the money they haven’t stolen. Bad dad joke i know.
This system is so bad it makes living in place like, Thailand, paradise
Why are we the taxpayer paying these MUPPETS if they just give up.. time to hand it over to the people of this country…if these MUPPETS won’t to their job, we the people will… to much CORRUPTION in Federal /State especially in Victoria, were this PATHETIC CORRUPT PARASITE premier gets away with it, while the people of Victoria SUFFER…
If justice cannot be served with all the allegations of corruption Victoria will suffer now and into the future. The law will not be able to protect the innocent and prosecute the guilty. I implore IBAC and the Ombudsman to take their role seriously to recommend charges and allow the court and legal System to do their job otherwise we will ALL be worse off.
This happens when the incumbents in political leadership, on both sides of the table, lack the moral backbone at best, or are deeply involved in corrupt activities at worst.
The sooner we get rid of corrupt conduct by Politicians and bureaucrats that divide the people and allow power back to every day honest Australians with truth and integrity, the better this country will be. We have become guinea pigs and the laughing stock of the world.
We all need to stand united with one voice in love and respect for one another no matter our choices.
It may be futile to firstly seek help from Parliamentarians and/or Bureaucrats to clean up corruption……particularly in those areas where Parliamentarians and/or Bureaucrats may be the focus of the cleanup. Both bodies have an existing culture which supports elements that enable the socially destructive behaviour.
To minimise corruption in these areas would require wider and deeper community awareness of reliable corruption information [not interpreted by media with vested interests – not politicised information]. Politicians will respond to public pressure if they perceive it to be beyond their manipulative control. If, as appears, existing laws have not sufficiently minimised corruption then additional laws are unlikely to do so unless the culture is strengthened before additional law is drafted. Given that existing laws apply to the alleged corruption, it is most likely that culture is the culprit.
We accept bahaviour we walk past.
These government entities, entrusted to charge the ‘individuals’ with misconduct and/or corruption that are not performing their role with integrity and honour in public office, should all be sacked from the public service because of their lack of fulfilling their job description. Our public service is only leaching on society from those that work hard to provide ‘produce’, which in economic terms is the only avenue of making money for those who don’t provide a product to earn an income. The community needs action to bring integrity back in to our culture. To ask the politicians to clean up corruption, is like asking the lion to stay away from its prey, or the bank robber to stay away from the bank. Which one is honest and humble enough to admit to their own immoral actions and change? This happens in our own local Councils as well. And the Machiavellian, narcissistic, egotistic attitudes are rife. When our public officials both elected and employed do not come to the table with ‘independent’ healthy attitudes, we are a lost society.