Drug testing pollies a popular vote in Victoria

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Allegations of drug-related corruption at a Victorian council have breathed life into public calls for drug testing of politicians.

News from one council area in Victoria over the past few weeks will no doubt have breathed life into the popular desire to see politicians undergo drug testing. The news has centred around the Mooney Valley Council in Melbourne’s north-west.

In the last few days, an Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) report has alleged one councillor repeatedly accepted drugs in exchange for progressing property applications. The person was mayor recently and served on the council until earlier this year. He is no longer involved in the council.

According to a report on ABC News, IBAC heard evidence that the councillor “received cocaine for his assistance” and bypassed proper council processes on behalf of an unnamed third party nicknamed “the construction manager” by investigators.

The report says the former mayor first befriended the “construction manager” in 2020. It’s alleged he and his partner were regularly supplied with cocaine and Xanax as part of the deal.

The IBAC report identified multiple occasions between 2020 and 2022 where preferential treatment was provided. On one occasion, the former mayor escalated a planning application for the development of new townhouses on a property owned by a family member of the construction manager. The report stated that on another occasion, he was offered 14 grams of cocaine for supporting a separate planning permit by one of the construction manager’s relatives.

It’s not the only corruption allegations. IBAC also discovered the councillor in question and two other Moonee Valley councillors used their positions to favour a local sporting club. In return, the councillors received free meals and club memberships.

Melbourne council antics increases pressure for drug testing of pollies

It’s not the only news surrounding drugs to emanate from Mooney Valley Council recently.

The Age has reported that lines of powder were found in a bathroom at the Mooney Valley Council chambers in September. Drug testing later confirmed the power contained cocaine. It’s understood several people who had access to the building and the bathroom in question were asked to undergo voluntary drug testing.

While all of this was handled internally, it spilled over to the public domain when one of the people who were asked to undergo voluntary drug testing took to social media. He alleges the drug testing was less voluntary and more demanding, and that he found this a gross invasion of his personal privacy.

Workplace drug testing in Victoria the only way to know

You might think the employees in your Victorian workplace are a little better behaved than in some council chambers and the chances of finding cocaine in a bathroom nil. However, it’s well known that people take risks with drugs and alcohol by driving and going to work under the influence. And the only way to know is by conducting workplace drug testing.

To find out how drug testing can protect your business in Victoria, contact Integrity Sampling today.

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Allegations of drug-related corruption at a Victorian council have breathed life into public calls for drug testing of politicians.

By Michael

Michael is the founder of Integrity Sampling and is responsible for overseeing all national operations. He is based at Integrity Sampling's head office in Melbourne and is also responsible for the co-ordination of drug and alcohol testing within Victoria, assisting in the implementation of drug and alcohol (fit for work) policies and the presentation of drug and alcohol education and awareness programs. You can connect with Michael Wheeldon on LinkedIn

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