Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee, , 44:46 to 45:52
Examination of how the department responds to the disproportionate number of corruption allegations in Victoria.
Topics: Infrastructure, Integrity
Speakers: Senator Paul Scarr, Mr. Jim Betts
>> But Mr. bets the proportion of allegations coming from Victoria. You recognize that it's it's totally disproportionate the number of allegations coming out of Victoria as opposed to allegations coming out of jurisdiction other jurisdictions. Do you do you recognize that?
>> Well, we've given you the statistics.
>> No, but do you recognize that that it's disproportionate? Do you recognize that as head of the department
>> arithmetically? Clearly.
So the question I have then is if I were in your shoes trying to put myself in your position, I would have a heightened focus on the issues coming out of Victoria and and Victoria needs to be treated differently to the other jurisdictions because clearly there's a problem. Something stinks in Victoria in terms of these big bill projects. So what heightened what heightened attention has the department given to the issues that are clearly apparent in relation to the disproportionate reporting of allegations out of Victoria?
>> We take allegations of corrupt and criminal conduct equally seriously regardless of the jurisdiction in which those allegations made.