A court has granted Victoria’s anti-corruption agency a gag order preventing The Age from publishing information contained in a draft IBAC report. | pwhatch
from publishing information contained in a draft report from its secret probe into Andrews government grants given to a Labor-linked union before the 2018 election.
IBAC had sent the confidential draft findings to individuals involved in the probe, so they could respond before the commission finalised and released a public report. “The affidavit itself might undermine the whole point of the proceeding, were it to be disclosed beyond what’s necessary,” he said.lawyer Justin Quill said on Thursday the newspaper did not “in any way accept that these [suppression] orders are necessary, or the ultimate orders are necessary”, but agreed that moving to closed court would allow the matter to proceed.
“When IBAC drafts a report arising from an investigation, relevant people involved in the investigation will be given an opportunity to respond to IBAC’s preliminary findings,” the statement said. “These responses must then be considered before IBAC finalises the report.”“This natural justice process is critical. It would be quite unfair to these persons if preliminary findings or other private information were to become public. Reputations may be unfairly damaged, or witness welfare harmed.
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