Adelaide businessman Rob Cammarano says organised crime figures are trying to force him out of Career Boss, a labour-hire firm recruiting workers for the $15.4 billion Torrens to Darlington project. He says his home was shot at and his businesses were targeted in arson attacks. Police taskforce Operation Endurance is investigating, with detectives believing those responsible took direction from senior underworld figures. The allegations were referred to the project team, which found no evidence of criminal involvement. The state's anti-corruption commission will evaluate the Infrastructure and Transport Department.
The South Australian government has referred its $15 billion Torrens to Darlington road project to the state's corruption watchdog. Premier Peter Malinauskas said the move follows reports that an outlaw gang member tried to take an interest in a suspended company contracted to work on the project. He said he has seen no evidence that organised crime has gained access to the project. The Independent Commission Against Corruption will decide whether to investigate. The government said the step is a precaution to protect taxpayer funds.
Former public servant Joshua Ceramidas has launched legal action against the ACT Integrity Commission in the Federal Court. The Operation Kingfisher report found he worked to block construction firm Manteena from winning a Campbell Primary School contract. Acting Head of Service Russ Campbell confirmed Mr Ceramidas is no longer employed by the Territory and that it is not funding his legal costs. The government says it has referred matters for further investigation and is reviewing procurement decisions. Master Builders ACT has described the government response as tepid.
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Liberal MP Ray Williams has announced he will not contest the 2027 NSW state election. He told parliament the decision came with a heavy personal toll. Williams said he would do it all again, and that whistleblowers are often shunned. In 2022, his late-night parliamentary speech alleged that senior Liberal figures were paid by property developer Jean Nassif to install favourable councillors on Hills Shire Council. The speech launched a years-long Independent Commission Against Corruption investigation into the party, developers and local government.
Former Labor MP Robert McClelland has been appointed National Anti-Corruption Commissioner, replacing Paul Brereton, who resigned two years before his term ended. Justice McClelland has been a Family Court judge since 2015 and was previously attorney-general under prime ministers Kevin Rudd and Julia Gillard. Christopher Savundra, a former Australian Securities and Investments Commission executive director, will serve as deputy commissioner. Both take office in January 2027. Attorney-General Michelle Rowland said the selection process was open, competitive and merit-based, and the parliamentary oversight committee approved both appointments unanimously.
A team led by a police museum curator and an archaeologist dug in the yard of the Mount Larcom police station, in central Queensland, to look for documents a constable allegedly buried rather than destroy. The constable, Edward Robb, had reportedly been ordered to destroy papers older than 10 years. The search relied on an old story and a missing tin roof marker, and the team found no documents. Its members said the papers may still be there and that a further search would need ground-penetrating radar or machine excavation.
Senior Victorian public servants failed to report suspected fraud involving COVID-19 support grants, a corruption watchdog has found. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission said officials concealed key information from their department's secretary and the minister after the scale of the suspected loss became clear. The watchdog said grants totalling more than $285 million were paid to around 9,000 businesses that allegedly backdated their GST to qualify. Commissioner Victoria Elliott said the conduct fell short of public service standards. Premier Ben Carroll said he was surprised by the findings.
Bruce Lehrmann wants the Federal Court to order the return of a diary seized during a raid on his Hobart home by the National Anti-Corruption Commission. His lawyer told the court the diary holds his personal thoughts, not Cabinet information. The Commonwealth argues parts of it contain sensitive Cabinet material that should not be returned. The corruption watchdog has dropped its investigation into allegations he took documents from former defence minister Linda Reynolds' office. Justice Brigitte Markovic reserved her decision and the matter returns to court on December 2.
An integrity watchdog has found that senior officials in a Victorian government department covered up the extent of losses from flawed COVID-19 business support payments. The payments, estimated at $257 million, went to about 9000 businesses that were ineligible. According to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, the officials withheld information from their managers and created misleading material over an extended period. The commission's Operation Harmonia special report was tabled in parliament on Thursday. Commissioner Victoria Elliott said the conduct fell short of expectations of senior public officers.
Senior officials in a Victorian government department allegedly concealed losses from flawed Covid-19 business support payments, according to an integrity investigation. The payments went to about 9,000 businesses that were not eligible, with an estimated $257 million spent. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission says the losses, suspected to reach $285 million, were withheld from superiors and ministers over an extended period. The watchdog found a brief to then-minister Ben Carroll contained false and misleading information. It made no adverse findings against Carroll, now premier.
Victoria's anti-corruption commission, IBAC, has found senior public servants hid wrongful pandemic support payments totalling $257 million to more than 9000 ineligible businesses. The investigation found the associate secretary and deputy secretary withheld information from the department's secretary and from Minister Martin Pakula. IBAC said Mr Pakula's temper may have discouraged staff from reporting the problem. IBAC said it would not pursue criminal charges, but said ministers must be mindful of how their conduct affects public servants giving frank advice.
An integrity watchdog has found that senior officials in a Victorian government department covered up the extent of losses from flawed COVID-19 business support payments. The payments, estimated at $257 million, went to about 9000 businesses that were ineligible. According to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, the officials withheld information from their managers and created misleading material over an extended period. The commission's Operation Harmonia special report was tabled in parliament on Thursday. Commissioner Victoria Elliott said the conduct fell short of expectations of senior public officers.
The New South Wales Electoral Commission will become a lobbying regulator with stronger powers to audit compliance, the State Government has announced. Third-party lobbyists who deal with councils will have to register. Former ministers and officials will face a cooling-off period of up to six months before taking private sector jobs linked to their public roles. Special Minister of State John Graham said the package aims to restore public trust before the March 2027 state election.
Victoria's corruption watchdog has charged a Metro Trains Melbourne senior manager and a former labour hire company director over alleged staffing fraud. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission alleges the pair conspired to undersupply staff to benefit First Call Staffing. The charges relate to contracts for rail replacement bus services and printing between October 2020 and March 2023. Both will appear in Melbourne Magistrates' Court next month.
A constitutional expert has labelled a $6 million grant to a golf club in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s electorate as “grey corruption”. Anne Twomey, a University of Sydney professor emerita, submitted the assessment to a Senate inquiry. The grant was awarded under a closed, non-competitive process last July. Twomey described the scheme as a “farce” and said the funding was a misuse of public money.
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A constitutional expert has labelled a $6 million grant to a golf club in Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s electorate as “grey corruption”. Anne Twomey, a University of Sydney professor emerita, submitted the assessment to a Senate inquiry. The grant was awarded under a closed, non-competitive process last July. Twomey described the scheme as a “farce” and said the funding was a misuse of public money.
Former Australian ambassador to the US Joe Hockey has accused the American political system of allowing corruption to flourish. He cited the blurred lines between government processes and personal enrichment, particularly in Congress. Hockey also noted that corruption has become more apparent during Donald Trump's presidency, with concerns over financial interests and private sector partnerships. He suggested increased scrutiny could address these issues, especially if Democrats regain control of the House of Representatives. Additionally, Hockey discussed the impact of US government debt, which has surged past $40 trillion, calling it unsustainable and a significant challenge for Australia.
