A New South Wales ICAC investigation has revealed extensive corrupt conduct involving former employees and contractors from the Inner West Council and Transport for NSW. 

The revelations from the corruption probe dubbed ‘Operation Hector’ have prompted calls for systemic reforms to enhance integrity and transparency within departments.

NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) Operation Hector, which concluded this week, identified corrupt activities among ten individuals, implicating both former government employees and external contractors. 

Among those named were Tony Nguyen, a former senior project engineer at Inner West Council, and Benjamin Vardanega, along with other officers from Transport for NSW.

According to ICAC, Tony Nguyen manipulated his official capacities to award contracts worth over $1 million to his associates' companies. 

This exploitation began as early as 2014, when Nguyen was stationed at the Glenfield Junction station as a site engineer. It was here that he first collaborated with Transport for NSW officers Nima Abdi and Raja Sanber to influence tender processes to their benefit.

The corrupt conduct extended to collusive tendering, order splitting, and the creation of dummy bids to manipulate procurement outcomes. 

Notably, Nguyen, in his role at the council and later as a director of RJS Infrastructure Pty Ltd, was found to have engaged in these corrupt schemes across multiple council and Transport for NSW projects.

Following the ICAC findings, both Inner West Council and Transport for NSW have acknowledged the need for substantial reform. 

The Inner West Council expressed its commitment to implementing all seven recommendations from ICAC, aimed at bolstering governance and procurement processes.

Transport for NSW, similarly affected, has not only accepted all nine recommendations from ICAC but says it has already begun implementing changes to mitigate risks and prevent future corruption. 

The department says it is taking a proactive stance in cooperating with ICAC throughout the investigation.

With the ICAC report now public, the matter has been forwarded to the Director of Public Prosecutions to consider potential criminal charges against those implicated. 

This legal process will determine the next steps in accountability for the corrupt activities uncovered.

ICAC has suggested that the state government consider the introduction of a debarment scheme. 

This scheme would serve to identify and exclude suppliers previously involved in misconduct from bidding on public contracts, aiming to further safeguard the integrity of public procurement.