The Baillieu Dump
Victoria had a change of government late last year but the same old tactic of dumping annual reports continues. So Swinburne University’s journalism program and Crikey are teaming up again to bring you The Baillieu Dump, in an effort to scrutinise the workings of the state government.
Last year’s Brumby Dump initiative researched some 200 annual reports from government departments, statutory bodies and agencies to uncover stories on government administration and misadministration under John Brumby. New premier Ted Baillieu vowed to improve accountability and has only “dumped” half the amount of reports together. Some have been picked up in media reports.
But most have not. Our reports create an illuminating snapshot of the state’s administration during the transition from an 11-year-old Labor government to a newly-elected Coalition. They highlight some of the priorities of the new government and reveal how entrenched problems are not easily fixed.
The Baillieu Dump: government subverting FOI Act, says Ombudsman
Victoria’s bureaucrats frequently used the Freedom of Information Act as an “information protection system”, Ombudsman George Brouwer said in his 2011 annual report, writes Grace Darken.
The Baillieu Dump: complaints mount against untalkative GPs
Patients seem to be having increasing trouble communicating with their GPs, writes Martin Kick, a Swinburne University student.
The Baillieu Dump: multicultural grants went to Labor’s marginals
Multicultural communities in inner-Melbourne Labor electorates were given the biggest building grants in the lead-up to last year’s state election, according to the Victorian Multicultural Commission’s annual report. Zhou Yao reports.
The Baillieu Dump: call for child capsules in Victorian taxis
The head of a Victorian consumer organisation which fights for a fair go for energy and water consumers The head of a Victorian consumer organisation which fights for a fair go for energy and water consumers believes Victoria needs an organisation solely devoted to giving a voice to water users, writes Sally Galvin.
The Baillieu Dump: criticism of cuts to water consumers’ advocacy centred
The head of a Victorian consumer organisation which fights for a fair go for energy and water consumers believes Victoria needs an organisation solely devoted to giving a voice to water users, writes Sally Galvin.
The Baillieu Dump: lack of support groups impacts mental health issues
A lack of appropriate support networks can lead to mental health problems later in life, according to the Mental Health Review Board annual report, writes Gerard Pelly.
The Baillieu Dump: lack of funding hits ambulance service in the bush
Lack of funding means an Ambulance Victoria referral service that leaves more ambulances available for critically ill patients will not be expanded to rural Victoria, writes Emma Beddoes.
The Baillieu Dump: hundreds of childcare worker permits revoked
A leading child care expert is calling on the Victorian government to tighten its screening of Working with Children permits after it was revealed that more than 300 have been revoked in the past five years, writes Anthea Smith.
The Baillieu Dump: prisoner alcohol tests down, positive drug results up
Alcohol testing of Victorian prisoners has dropped 13% in the past year, and drug testing increased by only 0.2%, despite an increase in positive test results, according to the Department of Justice’s annual report, writes Patrick Bertoli.
The Baillieu Dump: Racing Victoria looks at new ways of charging jockeys
Victoria’s Racing Integrity Commissioner, Sal Perna, has taken the extraordinary step of naming a controversial jockey and detailing investigations about him in the organisation’s annual report, writes Aneeka Simonis.
The Baillieu Dump: why classic films are destroyed after release
“Walls of film” are destroyed after commercial release because of the high cost of finding adequate storage, writes Rebekah Bell.
The Baillieu Dump: after recall, faulty cookers emerge for sale on the net
Dangerous, counterfeit gas cookers were listed for sale on the internet after being recalled because they did not meet Australian standards, writes Danny Baker.
The Baillieu Dump: prisons failing legal obligations, says Ombudsman
The Victorian Ombudsman has accused Corrections Victoria and the state’s prisons of frequently failing to comply with their legal obligations, writes Michelle Slater.
The Baillieu Dump: when $1m for consultants is a super idea
The Emergency Services and State Super, a major superannuation fund with about 150,000 members, has spent nearly $1 million employing more than 20 consultants to review its management and business strategies, writes Ross Williams.
The Baillieu Dump: more accountability, but same tactics from Ted
Swinburne University’s journalism program and Crikey are teaming again to bring you the Baillieu Dump, in an effort to scrutinise the workings of the state government, write Andrew Dodd and Sue Green.