Whistleblowers have been praised after an independent watchdog uncovered evidence that senior public servants deliberately concealed details about significant financial losses linked to flawed COVID-19 business support payments in one state. The investigation revealed that hundreds of millions of dollars may have been improperly distributed to ineligible businesses, with an estimated $257 million paid out to around 9,000 companies that did not qualify. Authorities are now examining whether the withholding of this information constituted a breach of public trust. The findings raise serious questions about accountability and oversight in pandemic-era spending.
Whistleblowers applauded as Ibac finds ‘decisions were made to withhold information about the magnitude of the loss’Senior public servants in one state covered up losses suspected to be worth hundreds of millions of dollars arising from flawed Covid-19 business support payments, an investigation has found.During the pandemic, the Victorian government spent an estimated $257m on support grants to 9,000 ineligible businesses.Follow our Australia politics live blog for latest updates Continue reading...
