Ms PATTEN (Northern Metropolitan) (18:35): My adjournment matter is for the Treasurer, and the action I am seeking, along with probably many of my colleagues here but also the community, is for the Victorian government to increase IBAC’s funding in the next budget, and the increase needs to be by at least $10 million a year. In 2018–19 IBAC’s funding increased by $1.5 million. Goodness gracious! That is an increase of about 2.5 per cent after inflation. Unfortunately corruption in our community is not increasing with inflation; it is far more exponential than that. We have heard Robert Redlich, QC, the Commissioner of Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, saying that they just do not have the resources to investigate a growing list of tasks. In fact he went on to claim that their recurring funding has not increased since 2012.
No doubt I am not the first person to raise this in this chamber. Somewhat interestingly, in looking back, I note that the former Labor Treasurer, when he was the shadow Treasurer, Mr John Lenders, also asked for urgent reform and funding to IBAC. Of course much of IBAC’s funding was spent later on investigating Mr Lenders, and it will continue to investigate these sorts of rorts. So this is not a bipartisan position, but what we are seeing is that IBAC is getting consumed by this large-scale corruption, whether it is Adem Somyurek or the red shirts or possibly even the Liberal Party may be up on the list next, but this list is going to continue to grow. We know some of the areas where we do need investigation. When we are hearing that 10 per cent of the police believe the police are corrupt and IBAC cannot afford to do the proper investigations into police, we have a problem here. The action, and I think it is a simple action and I think it is an action that should be supported by everyone in this chamber and certainly I know it is supported by the community, is for IBAC’s funding to be increased.
Fiona Patten MP
Leader of Reason
Member for Northern Metropolitan
Adjournment matter 27/10/22
