Corruption hurts all Victorians. It denies fairness and justice. It also diminishes the delivery of important frontline government services, infrastructure and the protection of all Victorians. At the Independent Broad- based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), we have an ambitious plan to deliver over the next three years. We are firmly committed to achieving our goals for the benefit of all Victorians.
This Corporate Plan 2018–21 sets out our direction for the next three years. It identifies the opportunities and challenges we face in identifying, exposing and preventing public sector corrupt conduct and police misconduct, and how we will address these.
Strengthening independent police oversight
One of our most important functions is our independent oversight of Victoria Police. Over the next three years we will build our capacity to investigate more complaints concerning serious police misconduct. We will also increase the number of reviews we undertake of complaints investigated by Victoria Police. We will improve the way in which we explain our processes and decision making, providing more information and clarity to those who make a complaint to us.
We will continue to conduct strategic research, audits and other initiatives to identify ways in which Victoria Police can improve its systems and practices to prevent police misconduct and corruption.
Promoting ethical leadership
The best resistance to corruption comes from within. Victoria needs a sound approach to the way we build systems and cultures that support integrity within all our public sector bodies. This is not something that can be externally imposed. While there will always be a need for independent oversight and investigation of serious integrity breaches, our focus at IBAC continues to be on fulfilling our prevention and education functions. We will continue to work with the whole of the Victorian public sector, Victoria Police and the community to increase understanding of corruption and police misconduct, and educate on prevention.
Importantly, we will work to inform public sector organisations on how to build cultures that are committed, able and willing to publicly expose and deal with integrity breaches.
Safeguarding our independence
It is paramount that IBAC maintains our independence and continues to build a reputation as a trusted and respected anti-corruption and independent police oversight agency. It is vital to ensure we have sufficient authority, powers and resources. We will continue to embrace an organisational culture of integrity, applying due diligence to everything we do, retaining strong internal governance processes and practices, and ensuring we apply the highest quality and integrity standards to all our work.
The future
IBAC has achieved significant outcomes for Victoria in its first five years of operation, but there is much more to do. We recognise the important role we perform for the people of Victoria and value the significant trust placed in us.
The Honourable Robert Redlich QC Commissioner