Ensuring the integrity of our local councils is a shared responsibility. The Local Government Inspectorate ensures all Victorian local councils follow the Local Government Act, while our colleagues at the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) and the Victorian Ombudsman investigate corruption, services and other facets of council operations. Beyond these agencies, it is also the personal responsibility of all Victorians to report suspected wrongdoing.
To demystify the process of making a complaint, the three integrity agencies have come together to break down the types of issues each entity can investigate at the local council level in the new video My local council: if something is not right, who do I complain to? The video also provides clarity around Public Interest Disclosures and the ‘no wrong door’ policy, which ensures all complaints are considered, even if they’re delivered to the incorrect agency.
This new video is the latest collaboration between Victoria’s integrity agencies and the VEC, and it is representative of the increased communication across the sector. Former Chief Municipal Inspector David Wolf has also published a piece on our ongoing collaboration in the integrity space in his new capacity as a Deputy Commissioner at IBAC.
All Victorians are encouraged to raise issues when they arise by whichever means is most convenient: email, phone, or directly via each website.
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