Media Releases
Former City of Ballarat Council manager sentenced to jail following IBAC investigation
A former manager at the City of Ballarat Council has been convicted and sentenced following an IBAC investigation into allegations of corrupt procurement transactions at the council.
Lukas Carey, a former sport and recreation manager at the council, pleaded guilty to obtaining financial advantage by deception, attempting to commit an indictable offence and soliciting secret commission. He was sentenced today in the Ballarat County Court to three years’ imprisonment and ordered to repay $31,200.
IBAC, Victoria’s anti-corruption agency, investigated allegations that Mr Carey subverted procurement processes and failed to fully declare and manage conflicts of interest when engaging suppliers on behalf of the council.
IBAC uncovered that Mr Carey had allocated more than $184,000 of council consulting work to his friends and wife over a two-year period in exchange for money.
In 2017, two associates of Mr Carey were charged and sentenced as part of IBAC’s investigation.
In March 2017, Rik McCaig, who was accused of giving Mr Carey $8000 in return for being awarded contracts, pleaded guilty at Ballarat Magistrates’ Court. Mr McCaig was found guilty without conviction, fined $8000 and sentenced to 200 hours of community work.
In June 2017, Derryn Ladson also pleaded guilty before Ballarat Magistrates’ Court and was found guilty without conviction, and fined $15,000. Mr Ladson admitted to paying $21,245 in secret commissions to Mr Carey.
Media contact: media@ibac.vic.gov.au or 0427 480 840
