Firefighters union boss exerted 'extraordinary' influence, Victoria corruption report finds

Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog has uncovered serious and concerning conduct by senior public officials, including ministers, MPs, and public servants, during a contentious pay dispute with the state's firefighters union. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) issued a warning that such behavior elevated the risk of corruption, though it did not make definitive findings of corrupt conduct.

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By doing so, the government placed itself in a position where Mr Marshall was able to exert extraordinary influence over the negotiations

The IBAC report detailed how senior government members acted contrary to established policies, procedures, and codes of conduct. They negotiated a deal with the United Firefighters Union (UFU) secretary, Peter Marshall, without the knowledge or involvement of the responsible minister, agencies, and departments. This process allowed Mr. Marshall to exert "extraordinary influence" over the negotiations and granted him privileged access to senior government figures.

Victorian Premier Ben Carroll acknowledged the report highlighted "poor behavior" that is "intolerable." He distanced himself from the investigation, noting it was a decade in the making and occurred before his time in cabinet. Carroll pledged to accept and implement the IBAC's recommendations.

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poor behaviour

The investigation, which began in 2018, examined allegations of corruption dating back to former Premier Daniel Andrews's first term. It focused on the industrial dispute between the firefighters union, the Country Fire Authority, and the government. The situation reached a critical point in 2016 when Mr. Andrews intervened to end an impasse, leading to the resignation of then-emergency services minister Jane Garrett and fueling allegations of a "sweetheart deal" for the union.

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This was a report that was 10 years in the making, I was not in the cabinet when all of these matters began