Hardinge was charged by IBAC and has since faced criminal proceedings in the Bendigo Magistrates’ Court. But during the IBAC probe into Hardinge’s conduct, the scope of the investigation expanded to include allegations against chief executive officer, John Mulder.

The report tabled in Victorian parliament yesterday detailed evidence Mr Mulder used Bendigo Health resources for his own private benefit.   Mr Mulder was found to have engaged in conduct that was “contrary to the Victorian Public Sector Code of Conduct as well as Bendigo Health’s organisational values”. Mr Mulder temporarily stood down from his position in February.

The Bendigo Health board yesterday said it was carrying out an independent review of Mr Mulder’s activities which could ‘now proceed to finalisation’.

But state health minister Jill Hennessy made her views clear – the IBAC findings were “extremely concerning”. “The behaviour outlined in the IBAC report is unacceptable, and in my view does not meet community expectations,” she said. 

Mr Mulder says the report clears him of corruption and he looks forward to the findings of the Bendigo Health board’s review.

But what is critical now, is that the review is indeed independent – and perhaps we should ask why is it even necessary? An IBAC investigation leaves few stones unturned.  It is also critical that all recommended measures put forward by IBAC be implemented at Bendigo Health, and more broadly.

As IBAC commissioner Stephen O’Bryan says, the community ‘rightly expects every public sector employee to behave ethically and to use public resources responsibly and for the good of the community’. He also correctly points out that public sector corruption has wide reaching consequences that often go beyond the financial costs. In this case, there are many whose lives will be forever impacted by Operation Liverpool – and it’s not those found to have done wrong.  It’s those who took the brave steps to come forward and call out the behaviour.

Nicole Ferrie, editor