Corruption probes find evidence

Council officers disciplined, sacked

INTERNAL investigations at Toowoomba Regional Council have substantiated allegations of corrupt conduct against five council officers.

According to a Toowoomba Regional Council investigations register obtained by The Chronicle under the Right to Information Act, five instances of corrupt conduct - ranging from water theft to leaking customer and confidential business information to a third party - have been investigated and substantiated by the council since July 2017. The council officer who engaged in the theft of water was sacked after a two-month investigation, according to the register.

TRC CEO Brian Pidgeon confirmed the matter had been referred to the Queensland Police Service.

The register shows the employee who leaked confidential information to a third party was given a written reprimand.

Another officer who took sick leave when not sick and misused a council vehicle was formally cautioned and made to repay $10,483.60.

Disciplinary action was taken against a fourth employee who was “accessing inappropriate material over an excessive amount of time”.

A fifth council officer quit after they were found to have been misusing a council vehicle by driving their children to school. A total of 32 allegations of corrupt conduct have been made against the council since July 2017, with 21 investigations finalised and 11 under investigation.

Mr Pidgeon said council had a zero tolerance for corruption and fraud and was “committed to acting in the best interest of the community and upholding the principles of honesty, integrity and transparency”.

“If any councillor, employee or affiliate is suspected of engaging in, or participating in such conduct, the council and its officers are obliged by law to refer the matter to the relevant agency.”