Former Victorian Auditor General Des Pearson AO has been appointed to head an independent inquiry into the operation of the former Office of Living Victoria.
The review will examine all aspects of the scandal-plagued body with a focus on the Living Victoria Fund, the processes used for awarding grants, and the management of contracts and whether they achieved their stated outcomes.
Last year a Victorian Ombudsman investigation found a number of allegations against the Office of Living Victoria to be substantiated and identified a range of serious breaches of governance and procurement standards.
The Andrews Labor Government kept its word and immediately shut down Office of Living Victoria, announcing a wide-ranging inquiry into its operations.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Water, Lisa Neville
“Taxpayer dollars were wasted at the scandal-plagued Office of Living Victoria, and the Andrews Labor Government will identify every cent.”
“The review will leave no stone unturned. It will find all instances of poor practice and bad governance.”
“Mr Pearson will commence his review immediately, so Victorian taxpayers will know exactly how their money was spent.”
Reviewed 19 August 2020