Skills Minister Chris Steel has written to the CIT board asking about what avenues exist to recoup costs related to the Integrity Commission’s investigation. Photo: File.
The ACT Government has been questioned further about the circumstances surrounding the ACT Integrity Commission’s investigation into senior public officials at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT) and consultancy services.
Specifically, where the law stood on a public servant’s payments if they were found to have engaged in corrupt conduct, serious corrupt conduct or systemic corrupt conduct but they had resigned before adverse findings were made against them.
The Canberra Liberals asked the question during the late June sitting week. Skills Minister Chris Steel said he presumed the question related to former CIT CEO Leanne Cover’s entitlements while stood down from her role.
“The [CIT] board advised me that Ms Cover is not entitled to any additional special benefits or payments but that she will be paid her accrued but unpaid entitlements as required by law,” he said.
“CIT are currently reviewing the legal requirements of paying out any entitlements and are yet to finalise any figure and provide it to Ms Cover. ”
Ms Cover was stood down with pay for the past two years pending the outcome of Operation Luna, the ACT Integrity Commission’s investigation. She resigned as CEO on 19 June.
The taxpayer covered her salary during this time, which equated to about $700,000.
Mr Steel also produced a letter he wrote to the board in which he asked its members to keep him informed about all actions it would take in relation to the findings of the ACTIC Special Report.
“In particular, I ask that the Board provide me with an update on all efforts and options to recover public money expended during the course of this matter,” Mr Steel wrote on 19 June.
Attorney-General Shane Rattenbury confirmed the ACT Government had agreed to provide assistance with legal fees for at least one party (if not more) associated with the Operation Luna investigation on the advice of the Solicitor General.
A Special Report has been prepared on at least one currently unnamed person involved in the investigation, but this has not been published due to current court proceedings.
The ACT Government is not paying the legal fees of the unknown person.
A bill has also been introduced to expand some of the ACTIC’s powers.
The Integrity Legislation Amendment Bill 2024 would introduce a range of changes recommended by a review into the current legislation.
This includes allowing the Integrity Commission to employ former public servants, develop a wellbeing policy and remove a requirement to apply the public interest test when considering Freedom of Information requests.
Other suggested changes – such as allowing phone tap powers and changing the Commission’s duties so that it’s required to only investigate matters that could constitute “serious corrupt conduct or systemic corrupt conduct” – would need to be considered by the next government, given the impending October election.
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