Corruption Matters - November 2021 | Issue 58
ICT corruption
In October 2021, the ICAC released its investigation report into the sourcing of software systems for TAFE NSW in which two officers solicited almost half a million dollars in corrupt benefits.
The investigation, known as Operation Lancer, centred around the development of a budget planning tool, which came to be known as iPlan. Oscillosoft Pty Ltd was engaged by the Western Sydney Institute (WSI), and subsequently other TAFE NSW institutes, to develop iPlan without any competitive process having ever taken place.
The ICAC found that two former WSI TAFE managers engaged in serious corrupt conduct through soliciting and receiving close to $450,000 from Oscillosoft as an inducement or reward for favouring that company.
Between August 2014 and December 2018, former WSI TAFE manager of finance and administration services, Hasan Mamun, and then manager of budget and performance, Samiul Kabir, each solicited and received between $227,153 and $228,153, plus gifts in Mr Mamun’s case, and approximately $220,435 in Mr Kabir’s, from Oscillosoft.
The payments and gifts were provided by Oscillosoft as an inducement or reward for Mr Mamun and Mr Kabir exercising their official functions to favour the company in relation to its business with TAFE NSW, or the receipt of which would tend to influence Mr Mamun and Mr Kabir to show favour to Oscillosoft’s business interests in the exercise of their official functions.
The ICAC found that Oscillosoft’s directors had also engaged in serious corrupt conduct through facilitating the payments and gifts to Mr Mamun and Mr Kabir.
The ICAC is satisfied that the corrupt conduct found in this investigation could have been prevented or at least identified earlier. The latter would have markedly reduced the impact of the corruption. It made 14 corruption prevention recommendations to assist TAFE NSW to continue improving and to prevent the recurrence of the conduct identified in this investigation.
Read the full report.
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