In an extraordinarily timed intervention, Victoria's three core integrity agencies teamed up on Wednesday to publish a joint paper with recommendations to strengthen budget transparency and independence.
Under current funding arrangements, the budgets of the Victorian Ombudsman, Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and Victorian Auditor-General's Office are unilaterally set by the state government.
There is no consultation with parliamentary oversight committees, nor a requirement for government to explain its decisions.
The paper pitches 12 reforms, including the publishing of reasons for funding decisions, enabling parliamentary committees to properly scrutinise budget bids and public protocols for determining funding.
Victorian Ombudsman Marlo Baragwanath described current funding processes as "opaque and shrouded in secrecy".
"The reforms we propose will help Victoria's core integrity agencies perform the important oversight role the community expects of us," she said.
The proposed changes would ensure Victorians can trust integrity agencies are frank and fearless in their oversight, IBAC Commissioner Victoria Elliott said.
"Even the perception of corruption can undermine public trust - so it is essential that budget processes are transparent and independent," she said.
Victorian Auditor-General Andrew Greaves said the measures would act as an important step towards long-term budget independence.
In October 2022, the three bodies released another joint paper to push for an "apolitical" funding process.
It recommended the government set up an independent commission or tribunal under legislation to decide their funding each year, similar to the body that rules on MPs' pay.
The key recommendation remains "undelivered and increasingly relevant", the agencies said.
In 2024, NSW introduced a "charter of independence" to require integrity agency budgets be reviewed by parliamentary oversight committees and force the state treasurer to detail reasons for any variations from proposed budgets.
The paper's release comes after Premier Jacinta Allan faced a barrage of questions following a damning finding the Victorian government "did nothing" to curb rising criminality within the state branch of the CFMEU.
In a redacted section of the Rotting from the Top report, barrister Geoffrey Watson SC conservatively estimated the construction union's leadership cost Victorian taxpayers up to $15 billion on major government projects.
Ms Allan has defended criticisms by arguing she referred all allegations of misconduct raised with her to relevant authorities, including a referral to the Victorian corruption watchdog in mid-2024.
The matter was determined to be outside of the body's jurisdiction as it doesn't have powers to investigate contractors or third parties such as union officials and bikies.
Ms Allan denied she worded her referral in a way that was designed to fail, but former IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich said she should have known the limitation.
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