Welcome to the final edition of IBAC Insights for 2019. This year has been a successful and productive one, with a number of significant IBAC events, activities and publications.

Consistent feedback from IBAC Insights readers is their interest in case studies discussing actual integrity issues. I am sure readers will find the interview in this issue with Lucy Roffey, CEO of Central Goldfields Shire Council interesting. Ms Roffey discusses steps being taken to improve processes and practices in the Central Goldfields Shire Council following the appointment of administrators in March 2018 after the elected councillors were dismissed.

On 12 November IBAC announced highly experienced public sector leader and legal practitioner Marlo Baragwanath's appointment as our new CEO, commencing in January 2020.

Ms Baragwanath is currently the Victorian Government Solicitor with responsibility for leading the Victorian Government Solicitor's Office. She began her public sector career at the Victorian Ombudsman and subsequently held senior roles at WorkSafe and the Victorian Building Authority.

Some people find integrity and corruption difficult concepts to relate to, according to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, the Honourable Anne Ferguson.

In her opening address at the 7th Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference in October, Chief Justice Ferguson said corruption can sound accusatory to some people and, to others, disproportionate.

"But it's often the small things that we cannot see that can grow and create a culture where integrity is no longer front of mind, fostering an environment for fraud and corruption to take hold," she said.

Lucy Roffey took over as Chief Executive of the Central Goldfields Shire Council in March 2018 after the elected councillors were dismissed and administrators appointed.

A Local Government Inspectorate investigation and subsequent report in August 2017 found that the Maryborough-based council had mismanaged public funds and assets. The report identified a range of governance failures. The previous CEO of the Central Goldfields Shire Council, Mark Johnston, was convicted and fined $36,000 over misuse of a corporate credit card and obtaining financial advantage by deception.

This report presents specific findings from two IBAC investigations into allegations of corrupt conduct in procurement in the Victorian local government sector, namely Operations Dorset and Royston. It also offers general conclusions drawn from these and a number of other investigations. In particular, the report highlights vulnerabilities in council policies, practices and systems that contributed to the conduct, and raises concerns about the adequacy of procurement procedures and controls in the local government sector more broadly.

While conflicts should be avoided wherever possible, the existence of a conflict of interest in itself is not necessarily a problem nor inherently corrupt. However, the risk of corruption occurs when individuals and their organisations fail to properly and actively identify, declare and manage a conflict in the public interest. This report outlines opportunities to strengthen the identification, disclosure and management of conflicts of interest across the public sector. Good practice is also highlighted.

An associated information sheet calls out common myths and misconceptions around conflicts of interest.

On 1 January 2020, important reforms to Victoria's public integrity system commence to better encourage disclosures of wrongdoing and misconduct in public office. IBAC lawyers Phillip Hill and Sophie Molyneux look at key changes to the renamed Public Interest Disclosures Act 2012 and provide answers to frequently asked questions. This is an abridged version of an article published in the December issue of the Law Institute Journal.

Corruption flourishes when it is not called out, witnesses look the other way, or it is swept under the carpet. Addressing the organisational setting in which corruption occurs is the key to succeeding in the fight against it. Read the joint communiqué from Australia's anti-corruption Commissioners in full.

Leaders from state and territory anti-corruption bodies addressed an integrity forum to close the Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference in Melbourne in October. They discussed patterns of conduct seen in matters where organisational failings mask the identification and handling of corrupt conduct.

Prosecutions arising from IBAC investigations are an important mechanism for exposing public sector corruption and police misconduct. This is a summary of IBAC announcements from October to December 2019 regarding some of our operations and prosecutions.

More than 500 delegates attended the 7th Australian Public Sector Anti-Corruption Conference held in Melbourne, 29-31 October 2019. Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria, The Honourable Anne Ferguson gave the opening address. Delegates also heard from local and international keynote speakers and expert practicioners, shared experiences and workshopped solutions to public sector corruption.

The Victorian Equal Opportunity and Human Rights Commission is leading a celebration of Human Rights Week (9-15 December) under the theme 'Human rights start with you'.