Wednesday, 3 May 2023

Integrity and Oversight Committee

Performance of the Victorian Integrity Agencies 2020/21: Focus on Witness Welfare

Mathew HILAKARI (Point Cook) (10:30): I rise to speak on the Performance of the Victorian Integrity Agencies 2020/21: Focus on Witness Welfare report. I too rise a second time along with the member for Melton and the member for Albert Park, and I am so pleased to do so and so pleased to hear an extension of the previous contributions that have been made on this report. It is fabulous to hear. I am also pleased to hear that the committee itself has spent some time working cooperatively together, unlike what we are hearing a lot about today. I would like to acknowledge the previous chair, the member for Narre Warren South; the deputy chair, who is in the chamber right now, the member Sandringham; the former member of the other place Mr Stuart Grimley from Western Victoria; the previous chair and member Dustin Halse, the previous member for Ringwood of course; Mr Jackson Taylor, the member for Bayswater, who was here earlier – and I am sad not to hear him beside the member for Ringwood, who may not be known to all in the chamber but is known to me; the member for Eltham Vicki Ward; and, I understand, the long-term member of this committee, the member for Rowville Kim Wells. I would also like to acknowledge the previous chairs, Harriet Shing from the other place and member for Eastern Victoria, and my predecessor the Honourable Jill Hennessy, the former member for Altona, who was chair until 2022.

As I have previously said, the secretariats play an enormous role in the work of committees. I know this myself as a member of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee presently. I would just like to read into Hansard again Sean Coley, the committee manager; Dr Stephen James, the senior researcher; Tom Hvala, the research officer; Holly Brennan, the complaints and research officer; Maria Marasco, the committee administrative officer; and Bernadette Pendergast, the committee administrative officer. These committees do not run without support from the Parliament.

The member for Melton talked about the enormous work that the Integrity and Oversight Committee does in covering off the four significant integrity agencies in Victoria, including the IBAC, the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner, the Victorian Inspectorate and the Victorian Ombudsman. But this particular committee was looking at witness welfare. I am pleased, as was the committee in their report, to identify some important improvements that agencies can make to witness welfare. I think it is always important to think through the reports – in this more than 200-page report – and actually keep to the topic. The majority report has presented some significant findings, 16 in fact. The first that I would like to just acknowledge is the first recommendation, which is about those witnesses being able to disclose to telephone and online mental health and crisis support services some of the matters that they have been discussing, because of course it is difficult, as the member for Melton mentioned, to be subject to any inquiry but particularly these very serious inquiries that are undertaken by our integrity agencies.

The second recommendation I just want to highlight is recommendation 11:

That the Victorian Ombudsman … ensure that persons –

The SPEAKER: Member for Albert Park, please remember to acknowledge the Chair.

Nina Taylor interjected.

The SPEAKER: The member for Albert Park will not argue with the Chair.

Mathew HILAKARI: I acknowledge the Speaker, who has now taken the chair, and I am so pleased that you have and are keeping this house in order, of course. Recommendation 11, as I was saying, mentions:

That the Victorian Ombudsman … ensure that persons who are served with a confidentiality notice or summons to appear can directly access welfare support services provided by the –

Victorian Ombudsman’s –

… Employee Assistance Program provider, without the need for a referral …

This again is an important wraparound service that we need for those people who are going through a stressful period in helping to promote Victoria’s integrity. I look forward to the progress on the recommendations, and I thank the Chair.