RSM’s Fraud and Forensic Services’ Roger Darvall-Stevens and Probity Adviser Michael Shatter share their thoughts on the public examinations of Operation Dunham, Victoria’s Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission’s (IBAC) investigation into the Department of Education and Training’s $180 million Ultranet project. The examinations into the Ultranet project (the costs of which could have been as high as $240 million as heard through witness testimony) concluded on 16 March 2016.

WHAT IS OPERATION DUNHAM?

The public examinations of IBAC’s Operation Dunham is one part of IBAC’s ongoing investigation into alleged serious corruption at the Department of Education and Training.

The Ultranet project was envisaged as being an online learning portal connecting teachers with students and parents, but ran over its allocated budget and was plagued by technical issues. It was subsequently shut down in 2013 by the Victorian Liberal Government. Operation Dunham has focused on the tender and procurement process for the project, the culture of the Department, gifts and benefits which may have been received by senior public officials responsible for the project and conflicts of interest.

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