Thursday, 30 July 2026

 Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:15): My question is for the Premier. The Premier has announced that the government will give IBAC follow-the-money powers. This is a limited but useful reform. There is little point in IBAC having follow-the-money powers if all it can do once it gets there is just look at it. The critical and necessary reform is to remove the restriction on IBAC which limits it to investigating part of a list of offences, including indictable offences. So much corruption is not strictly illegal, but it can still undermine public trust. Will the government amend the IBAC act to remove this restriction and enable IBAC to investigate what is often called grey corruption?

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier, Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Medical Research) (14:16): Can I just acknowledge the member for Brunswick on his fine contribution and his valedictory last night. Under my government, integrity is not optional, it is fundamental. That is why I have established a royal commission, and it is why I am giving IBAC what they want. It is a fair question. They do not only need the teeth; they do need the resources. I have committed to sitting down with the IBAC Commissioner to work with them on what I can do to support them.

 Tim READ (Brunswick) (14:17): We cannot be so naive as to think that we have seen Victoria’s last corruption scandal. At some point there will be more. The Premier has committed to sitting down with IBAC and asking them what they want, although that is very clear in their submission to the IOC’s inquiry into the IBAC legislation. Recommendation 1, a consensus recommendation of the committee, was to allow IBAC to investigate beyond criminal offences. What is stopping the government from going ahead and legislating this in the remaining weeks before Parliament is prorogued?

 Ben CARROLL (Niddrie – Premier, Minister for Education, Minister for WorkSafe and the TAC, Minister for Medical Research) (14:17): Like every passage of legislation, it is important that it is right. It is important that it is clear. On our side we have committed to implementing everything in that report. It is the opposition leader who on radio said she does not support broadening the definition.