The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption has launched a public inquiry into alleged corrupt recruitment of ICT contractors at Sydney University.
The anti-corruption body is investigating Jason Meeth. It it is alleged while head of ICT projects at the university Meeth engaged Canberra Solutions Pty Ltd for contractor recruitment.
“It is alleged that, between February 2012 and July 2013, Mr Meeth corruptly exercised his official functions for the benefit of IT consulting service Canberra Solutions Pty Ltd,” ICAC’s public notice of the investigation states.
“It is alleged that Mr Meeth acted partially and dishonestly by engaging certain ICT contractors through Canberra Solutions, although this company was not a NSW Government-accredited C100 company as required under the university's directions for the recruitment of ICT contractors.”
The public inquiry will begin on 9 November. The ICAC investigation has been dubbed Operation Elgar.
Sydney University, along with the University of Newcastle and Macquarie University, found itself entangled in another ICAC inquiry earlier this year.
In June, ICAC found that Brett Roberts — a former IT manager at the universities — had engaged in corrupt conduct.
ICAC found that Roberts had "caused, or attempted to cause" the payment of false invoices to an IT consultancy owned by a former friend. Roberts netted $86,000 in corrupt payments for work that was not done.
ICAC in July announced a public inquiry into an alleged $1.7 million fraud at TAFE involving an IT manager. The corruption watchdog is yet to make public a finding from its inquiry.