Updated Sep 9, 2026 – 6.20am, first published at Sep 8, 2026 – 2.13pmThe senior official appointed to handle complaints against the Victorian government has launched a stinging rebuke of Labor’s record on integrity over the past decade, accusing the party of fostering a “culture of paternalistic secrecy” that prioritised project delivery over accountability.Ombudsman Marlo Baragwanath condemned the government’s introduction of a secret levy on public transport fares – revealed last month only after commuters had been paying it for more than a year – and argued there was a “wide gap” between the ideal of democratic integrity and the reality of Victorian government and its agencies.Subscribe to gift this articleGift 5 articles to anyone you choose each month when you subscribe.Subscribe nowAlready a subscriber? Fetching latest articles
‘Insidious’: Watchdog slams decade of erosion of integrity in Victoria
Ombudsman Marlo Baragwanath has condemned Labor’s secret levy on public transport and argued there’s a “wide gap” between democratic integrity and the reality of government in Victoria.
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