The Canberra Institute of Technology will seek legal advice on how it can recover money spent as part of a lengthy corruption investigation into consulting contracts awarded by the former chief executive, the institute's board chair says.
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Kate Lundy said she welcomed and felt vindicated by the findings of the Integrity Commission report, which found the former CIT chief executive Leanne Cover's actions amounted to "serious corrupt conduct".
"I am confident we're in a position now where this kind of thing can never happen again," Ms Lundy said on Friday morning.
A 10-year plan for the institute, currently in development, also started as a "blank piece of paper" and had not relied on any of the work completed by Think Garden, the consulting outfit run by Patrick Hollingworth.
"We have stepped away from the work that was done by Think Garden and have had a fresh look at what the next 10 years looks like for CIT. We've then conducted external consultations on this strategy and they've gone exceptionally well," Ms Lundy said.
Companies operated by Mr Hollingworth were awarded contracts worth more than $8.5 million by the CIT between 2017 and 2022.
The Integrity Commission found Ms Cover had misled the institute's board and Skills Minister Chris Steel about the contracts and her actions amounted to corruption.
"We certainly welcome this report. From a board perspective - certainly, from my perspective - I think it reflects the situation as it was experienced," Ms Lundy said.
"It's very unfortunate. The reputational damage to CIT as a result of what's occurred is devastating, but it's time to get past it," she said.
Ms Lundy had told the Integrity Commission the actions of Ms Cover to deny the opportunity to scrutinise a sixth contract worth $4.99 million with Mr Hollingworth was a "profound breach of trust".
"I am professionally devastated with this conduct because I think it reflects on the whole board that her conduct was so disrespectful of what the board was established to do for the CIT," Ms Lundy told the commission, according to a partial transcript included in the commission's special report.
"And I'm particularly devastated, may I say, Commissioner, that she was in communication with the minister's office about these matters and still chose not to bring it to the board. That is a particular piece of information that I find, you know, yeah, hard to deal with."
Ms Lundy, who was deputy board chair at the time, on Friday said the findings of the report reinforced those views.
The cost of the contracts and the expense of the lengthy corruption investigation had negatively affected the CIT's budget, she said.
The institute's 2023 annual report noted a better-than-expected deficit of $6.3 million.
The institute would seek legal advice on how and what costs it could recoup, Ms Lundy said, adding she could not yet comment on those actions.
"We know this has been an expensive period but we are now past it and we need to focus on what we do best," she said.
Mr Steel has asked the board to keep him updated on "all efforts and options to recover public money".
"I ask that the board provide me with an update on all efforts and options to recover public money expended during the course of this matter," Mr Steel wrote in a letter tabled in the Legislative Assembly.
Ms Cover resigned as chief executive on June 18, two years after being stood down on full pay during the corruption investigation.
Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
