Media Releases
Safety and privacy fears discourage Victorians from reporting corruption
Three in four Victorians would report corruption if they knew it was happening, but fears of victimisation and exposure prevent them from coming forward, new research reveals.
The state’s anti-corruption commission, IBAC, surveyed more than 1000 Victorians on their perceptions and understanding of corruption, revealing that most people have the best intentions to help put a stop to corruption.
“It is encouraging to see most Victorians would do the right thing. But the survey shows many don’t feel safe to do so, they don’t know where to go, or they don’t think they’d be listened to,” IBAC CEO Alistair Maclean said.
“Unfortunately, these fears are perpetuated, even when there’s no basis for them. In Victoria, you are backed up by key agencies, including IBAC, who will listen, and protect your identity and information. Laws are also in place to protect you from being harassed as a result of blowing the whistle on corruption.”
Seventy-six per cent of survey respondents agreed they had a moral obligation to report corruption or misconduct. But with low awareness of Victorian protections available, most feared perceived consequences of reporting corruption, such as their details being leaked (60 per cent), or victimisation and harassment (59 per cent).
Other findings included:
- almost a third of respondents think corruption is completely widespread or there is a large amount of it in Victoria
- 45 per cent said corruption had a moderate/substantial impact on them personally, while 59 per cent said it had a moderate/substantial impact on the state.
- taking and offering bribes was the most readily identifiable corrupt behaviour, with respondents struggling to suggest other forms of corruption
- Victoria was perceived to be the fourth most corrupt state/territory behind New South Wales (42 per cent), Queensland (37 per cent) and the Australian Capital Territory (35 per cent).
"Millions of taxpayer dollars are lost to corruption every year – money that would otherwise have been spent on important government services like hospitals, schools or transport infrastructure that benefit the whole community,” Mr Maclean said.
“Just like we can all lose out to corruption, we all have a role to play in preventing corruption too – from the employee who sees it happening and reports their suspicions, to public sector leaders who put in place strong safeguards to help identify and stop corruption in their ranks.”
As Victoria’s independent anti-corruption commission, IBAC is tasked with preventing and exposing public sector corruption and police misconduct.
