In a recent report, Victoria’s Ombudsman denounced a culture of fear and secrecy that existed in the public sector during the tenure of former premier Daniel Andrews.
Deborah Glass said that after delivering the results of a two-year investigation, far too many top officials were frightened of endangering their careers by speaking up or speaking out.
The government has refuted the allegations.
The Ombudsman investigated allegations that Labor friends were being appointed to high positions to carry out the Andrews government’s orders over two years.
“We did not find widespread stacking of the public service with ALP activists,” Glass stated. Tim Pallas, the treasurer of Victoria, grabbed hold of that discovery.
“Not one example of party political appointments… you might forgive me for saying… it would appear that the state has been told it’s conducted itself appropriately,” Pallas stated today.
Still, the watchdog disputes that.
“We did find a public sector that had been politicised in other equally pervasive ways,” Glass stated.
The constant attitude that “people were generally’shit scared’ of upsetting the government” and “speaking candidly could amount to ‘career suicide'” is laid out in her 280-page study.
“There was definitely a disturbing element of fear,” Glass stated. Pallas countered, saying that “this suggestion that there’s a culture of fear could not be further from the truth”.
In the case of the Suburban Rail Loop, which was “directly tied to the ALP’s electoral prospects” and was created “in secret” by Development Victoria and consultants, the Ombudsman is also worried about situations in which advice is not sought.
“The lack of rigorous public sector scrutiny over such projects before they are announced poses obvious risks to public funds,” Glass stated. Pallas addressed the charges once more.
“Government can get and should get and should keep the right to get advice and come up with ideas from outside the public service echo chamber,” Pallas stated.
“As Victorians, we all suffer when public servants are excluded from processes or pressured to keep silent,” stated John Pesutto, the head of the opposition.
The Ombudsman’s suggestions to the government include removing the curtain on cabinet discussions and modifying contracts for top workers to prevent ministers from firing them at will.
These are recommendations. Glass hopes are raised. “You ignore recommendations like this and reports like this at your peril,” she continued.
