Bill Shorten (Maribyrnong, Australian Labor Party, Minister for the National Disability Insurance Scheme) Share this | Hansard source

I'm afraid to report that a terrible abuse of power has been uncovered at a council in my electorate. The Victorian Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, IBAC, yesterday released its special report into Operation Leo, an investigation into bribery and misconduct between some councillors, the Moonee Valley City Council and some associates of the Essendon Royals Soccer Club. The report is shocking and underscores the seriousness of local council work.

IBAC spent 17 months examining Moonee Valley City Council and the Essendon Royals Soccer Club. It found systemic corruption, vulnerabilities, failure to follow proper processes, conflicts of interest and failure to report corrupt conduct. Former councillor Cam Nation, Councillor Jacob Bettio, Councillor Samantha Byrne and Councillor Narelle Sharpe were raided. They had their devices seized in August 2023 as part of the investigation.

The wide-ranging anticorruption investigation found that some Moonee Valley councillors misused their positions as elected officials to seek or obtain preferential outcomes for the Essendon Royals Soccer Club. They used their power to influence council decisions, bypassed council decision-making processes and inappropriately disclosed council information to the Essendon Royals Soccer Club. IBAC found Cam Nation, the former Mayor of Moonee Valley City Council, in Melbourne's inner north-west, received drugs and kickbacks in exchange for using his power to influence council decisions. IBAC found that several Moonee Valley councillors received other inducements, including dinners paid for by the sporting club.

I want it on the record that my office has attended meetings with the soccer club. As part of our electoral duties, my office and I meet with hundreds of sporting and community groups. As an elected member, I take my role meeting with various groups seriously, and nothing can be more serious than elected officials abusing their power for their personal gain. I'm glad this behaviour has been rooted out; Cam Nation resigned in May this year. However, the investigation does vindicate some of the other councillors of Moonee Valley City Council who are working hard to represent their community. Through all this, the three Labor councillors, Pierce Tyson, Rose Iser and Katrina Hodgson, have acted with absolute integrity, standing up to the worst of local council conduct. They consistently called out this bad behaviour.

The IBAC commissioner, Victoria Elliott, said in her report:

When councillors misuse their positions as elected officials, they undermine a council's effectiveness and the community's trust in their local government.

It's critical, therefore, to vote for councillors who you can trust will always do the right thing. She also said:

Operation Leo highlights the importance of progressing local government reforms to address enduring concerns with councillors misusing their positions for personal advantage and at the expense of public interest.

This is not the community I know, nor does it reflect the values of the community. I fully support the report and its important findings.

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