By Belinda Nolan
BRIMBANK residents’ campaign to establish an anti-corruption commission could be on the cards, after the plan was passed in the Upper House last week.
Angry residents have been clamouring for the introduction of an independent watchdog amid claims of corruption, misconduct and dishonesty, which have plagued the municipality for decades.
In May last year, the Victorian Ombudsman painted a troubling picture of a council in crisis, in a damning report which implicated councillors, politicians and MPs.
But residents fear more high profile politicians could be involved in the scandal and have called for further investigation to bring them to justice.
The plan was backed in Parliament last week, with the Upper House voting 18 to 16 to establish an independent anti-corruption commission in Victoria.
Liberal MP Bernie Finn said a commission was vital to determining the full extent of corruption in Brimbank.
Mr Finn said rumours of corruption continued to plague the municipality, almost a year on from the release of the Ombudsman’s report and he feared the full story had not yet come to light.
“If we had an independent anti-crime commission, we could find out the truth and find out exactly what happened in Brimbank.
“We could bring those who had done the wrong thing to heel and clear the names of those who were wrongly accused.”
Mr Finn hinted that more heads could be on the chopping block if a commission were appointed and called for a number of MPs, including Bill Shorten, Brendan O’Connor and Planning Minister Justin Madden to be investigated.
“We want to clean up the image of politicians in this country,” Mr Finn said.
The decision has been welcomed by Brimbank residents who hope they are a step closer to attaining their goal.
“We urgently need an anti-corruption commission,” Sunshine Residents and Ratepayers Association president Darlene Reilly said.
“The Ombudsman may have exposed a lot of corruption but we believe it is just the tip of the iceberg and that the trail of corruption goes right up to the top.
“The Ombudsman doesn’t have enough power to do the thorough investigation that this community needs.
“We need a commission with the power to investigate ministers and politicians to ensure that they are held accountable for their actions.”
Last year Premier John Brumby appointed a special commissioner, Elizabeth Proust, to assess the state’s anti-corruption bodies.
Her report is due to be submitted in May.
Star contacted Mr Shorten and Mr O’Connor in relation to Mr Finn’s statements but both declined to comment.
