East Gippsland Shire Council was invited to appear before a Victorian Parliamentary Inquiry last week, providing insights into fraud and corruption control from a regional local government perspective.
Mayor Cr John White, General Manager Business Excellence Sarah Johnston, and Manager Governance and Regulatory Services Janelle Skipworth attended the hearing of the Public Accounts and Estimates Committee's Inquiry into Fraud and Corruption Control in Local Government on Monday 28 July.
Mayor White said it was important to reassure the community that East Gippsland was not the subject of investigation and had not been audited in the reports that triggered the Inquiry.
"We were invited to share how a regional council like ours approaches governance, risk and integrity," he said.
"It was an opportunity to contribute to the broader conversation and help shape good practice across all councils, especially for those of us operating outside metropolitan areas."
The Inquiry follows two reports from the Victorian Auditor-General's Office:
- Fraud and Corruption Control - Local Government (2019)
- Fraud Control Over Local Government Grants (2022)
East Gippsland Shire Council received both reports when published and referred them to its Audit and Risk Committee as part of its standard governance process.
"Like all councils, we consider the findings of reports like these seriously. We use them to strengthen our systems, make improvements, and support our commitment to integrity," John said.
The Council's contribution to the Inquiry focused on its strong governance frameworks, proactive risk management, and the need for context-specific approaches for regional communities.
"Our community expects transparency, integrity, and accountability - and rightly so. We were proud to represent the perspectives of regional councils and contribute to building even better systems across the sector."
The proceedings of the Inquiry are publicly available via the Victorian Parliament's Public Accounts and Estimates Committee website.
