We investigate matters relating to Victorian councils where there may be a breach of or offence under the Local Government Act.
What we can investigate
What we can and can’t investigate is set out by law.
| We can look into | We can't look into |
|---|---|
|
✔ misuse of position by a councillor ✔ conflict of interest by a councillor, senior council employee or person providing advice to council ✔ disclosure of confidential material ✔ council election offences ✔ nomination of someone not qualified to be a council election candidate ✔ authorisation of electoral material |
✗ planning ✗ council services ✗ council decisions (unless there is a conflict of interest) ✗ code of conduct issues ✗ performance of council staff, unless related to offences under the act ✗ council fines ✗ council rates ✗ noise complaints |
If we can’t investigate other agencies may be able to help you.
- The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission takes complaints about corruption and misconduct.
- The Victorian Ombudsman take complaints about planning and council services.
- Code of conduct issues, such as bullying and bad behaviour by councillors must be taken up with the council directly.
Who we can investigate
We can investigate:
- councillors
- senior council officer
- a person subject to conflict of interest provisions
- any person in relation to electoral provisions.
Making a complaint
When we receive a complaint, we will acknowledge it within five business days and assess to see if it can be investigated.
We can only investigate complaints we are allowed to by law. Sometimes, another agency can deal with the complaint and we will refer it to them. Sometimes we cannot refer the complaint to another agency and will recommend you go to that agency directly.
Find out more about how to make a complaint.
How long does an investigation take
Due to the volume of complaints we receive and the complex nature of our investigations, the process can take some time to complete.
Each case is different and we are not able to say how long the investigation will take.
Where possible, we’ll keep you informed of the progress of the investigation.
Own motion investigations
We can also start an investigation without a formal investigation. This is called an ‘own motion’ investigation.
This might happen if we find issues during our governance examinations or if we hear of possible problems at a council.
Investigation outcomes
Our investigation may result in a range of different actions, including issuing a warning, prosecution or recommending changes to actions or processes, depending on the outcome. While most of these matters are resolved confidentially, we may issue a media release or write a report if it is in the public interest.
Some of the reports about our investigations include:
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