An anti-corruption investigation has found the staff in the Daniel Andrews’ government exerted pressure on health department officials to award a $1.2 million contract to a health union.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission released its Operation Daintree report on Wednesday, after investigating the awarding of the contract in the lead-up to the 2018 election.
The investigation substantiated that a ministerial advisor working in the then-health minister Jill Hennessy’s office exerted pressure on Department of Health and Human Services staff to award the contract to a Health Workers Union entity.
It also found that an advisor in the office of a subsequent health minister, Jenny Mikakos, and an advisor in the office of Premier Daniel Andrews intruded into the department’s management of the contract against the public interest….