Corruption probe’s poor timing

Probe into councils under fire

A Top-ranking local government official has questioned the “unprecedented” timing of a corruption probe into councils.

The Crime and Corruption Commission has launched a probe into the reporting of corruption in councils following local governments across Queensland being rocked by corruption scandals in recent years.

The CCC will probe all 77 Queensland councils, including Townsville City Council.

But Local Government Association CEO Greg Hallam said it was strange timing because public servants were currently working on the front line of the fight against coronavirus.

The CCC confirmed the survey of staff was voluntary and all responses would remain private.

A High-ranking local government official has questioned a Crime and Corruption Commission probe into reporting corruption in councils.

The CCC is surveying council employees, including at Townsville City Council, to understand the barriers to reporting corruption.

But the Local Government Association CEO Greg Hallam called the timing of the survey “unprecedented” and questioned the CCC’S priorities.

CCC investigations have identified a number of significant and systematic corruption risks in recent years, with the spotlight on local government following the Belcarra reforms passing in 2018.

A CCC spokesman said the probe was to improve the commission’s understandings of attitudes, barriers and motivators to reporting and preventing corruption and had been sent to employees of all 77 Queensland councils.

“The results of the survey will assist the CCC to obtain a greater understanding of corruption risks, and therefore enable the CCC to work with this sector to create more targeted prevention and intervention strategies to reduce corruption for the benefit of the community,” the spokesman said.

The CCC said participation in the survey was voluntary and all responses would remain private and confidential with no identifying features of staff members collected.

The spokesman added conduct the CCC had identified in the past had led to serious criminal charges against individuals connected to local governments, with some resulting in time behind bars.

Mr Hallam said the 40,000strong workforce in Queensland councils were on the front line, working overtime to keep communities safe, delivering essential public services and keeping economies turning.

“We would welcome understanding the value of such a survey in this environment given all that has been done and so early in the term,” he said. “As a sector we have worked hard … to move forward a strong integrity agenda and are focused on delivering what really matters to our communities.”

Mr Hallam said the LGAQ felt the survey was “unprecedented in its timing”.

“We would consider there would be greater areas of priority for such a body,” he said.

The Department of Local Government, Racing and Multicultural Affairs, the Office of Independent Assessor, the Queensland Ombudsman and the Queensland Audit Office were also involved in the survey.