‘Conflicts of interest’ behind Australian parliamentary official’s $315k retirement payment, report finds | Australian politics
An independent “fact-finding panel” into a $315,126 pension payment to a senior parliamentary department official found “multiple procedural errors”, including overpayment, disregard for expert advice and “undue pressure” applied to the timing of the payment.
Report by Sydney barrister Fiona Roughley SC, published on thursdayIt found that there were “conflicts of interest” and “conflicting individuals” within the Parliamentary Services Department involved in the decision-making process.
In the Senate’s 2024 trial predictions, former DPS secretary Rob Stefanic said he declared a conflict of interest because of a “close” personal relationship with former deputy secretary Cate Saunders in August 2022.
Saunders remained his subordinate for eight months until he was appointed to Services Australia and later accepted an incentive payment of $315,126 to retire from the public service on 1 October 2023.
The National Anti-Corruption Commission also confirmed in March this year that it was conducting an investigation into the subject of Roughley’s report.
Sign up: AÜ Breaking News email
Roughley’s report also found that numerous procedural errors led to Saunders’ pension payment deviating from civil service guidance material, “leading to an increase in the amount of payment made”.
Additional concerns were highlighted in the report, such as “exclusion,” “lack of inclusion,” and/or “failure to heed the advice of expert DPS payroll staff.”
It also noted concerns about “undue pressure being placed on the timing of payment.”
The report made seven recommendations, including quarantining conflicted decision-makers from the process and documenting their reasons for bidding.
Stefanic said the working relationship between herself and Saunders after declaring a conflict of interest was “transactional” and that her dealings with Saunders as her boss during this period were “purely administrative in nature,” according to Senate estimates in 2024.
The long-serving former secretary said Saunders had formally declared a conflict of interest due to “gossip” and “rumours” about their “close, personal” relationship.
While the exit package was approved by the Department of Parliamentary Services, Stefanic told the hearing that she was not involved in signing the package.
Details emerged in later Senate estimates hearings. DPS is not subject to freedom of information legislation.
Stefanic resigned in December 2024 following an indefinite leave of absence, months after her position first came under intense scrutiny.
Current DPS secretary Jaala Hinchcliffe ordered the independent review in July 2024, saying there was no record of Stefanic’s conversations with chairmen and the parliamentary services commissioner about the declared conflict of interest, according to November Senate estimates.
