Ombudsman to monitor councils
The minister responsible for the establishment of the anti-corruption commission, Andrew McIntosh, says the Ombudsman will be given more powers to monitor councils.
THE Baillieu government will abolish Victoria’s local government watchdog and hand its powers to the Ombudsman in a bid to bolster and streamline the oversight of councillors and senior council staff.
Positions held by the chief municipal inspector, David Wolf, and his 14 staff will be dissolved under the move, part of the reform of Victoria’s integrity bodies before the government’s introduction of an Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission later this year.
Andrew McIntosh, the minister responsible for the establishment of the anti-corruption commission, said the Ombudsman will be given expanded jurisdiction to monitor the state’s 79 councils.
The Ombudsman will have powers to launch its own investigations into staff and elected officials, without having to rely on a referral from Parliament or a whistleblower complaint, which is currently the case.
The Brumby government’s 2010 Proust review of Victoria’s integrity framework noted problems with the inspectorate’s arrangements, arrangements that are still in effect, and recommended that it be independent from executive government.
Of 96 investigations by the inspectorate in 2010, 10 were referred to the Victorian government solicitor for prosecution. Last financial year, the inspectorate undertook 27 audits of local councils.
The Ombudsman, like the inspectorate, will investigate councillors and senior staff for breaches against the Local Government Act. But a government spokesman said the Ombudsman will not prosecute cases – this will be done by Victoria Police or the Office of Public Prosecutions.
Read more: http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/ombudsman-to-monitor-councils-20120311-1usos.html#ixzz1orCrKXTF
Glen Eira Debates 
March 12, 2012 at 12:54 PM
Looks like Wolf is gone. Great news. Maybe now we will get past the consistent white-washing of Whelan, Wolf, Walsh – but I”m not holding my breath.
March 12, 2012 at 4:06 PM
With the police being the back-stop, the officers will be abusing the system right-up to the line. And spending our rate money on lawyers for their protection.
March 12, 2012 at 10:23 PM
Nothing much will change with this relocation I’m afraid. The LGA is such a blunt instrument as to be almost useless in seeking to bring individuals to justice. Glen Eira would be the perfect example of this with three inspections and “no breach of the Act” found. This doesn’t mean that people are honest and their hands are clean. All it means is that the Act doesn’t cover these actions. I for one would like to see something in the legislation that prevents the over use of the secrecy provisions and enforcing a clear rotation system for audit committees. There also needs to be far more on accountability of administrators. Most of the legislation is geared towards councillors rather than officers. This needs desperately to be corrected and enforced.