Former Employee of Renewal SA Penalized for Disclosing Information about Anti-Corruption Investigation
A former employee of the South Australian government, Stephanie Hardy, has recently been fined $1,000 for unlawfully disclosing information about an Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC) investigation. The investigation was focused on John Hanlon and Georgina Vasilevski, who were top public servants at Renewal SA.
Stephanie Hardy, who had worked for Georgina Vasilevski for five years, received a call from an ICAC investigator requesting a confidential statement about the pair. Despite being aware that disclosing information about an ICAC matter is illegal, Hardy felt obligated to inform her bosses about the investigation.
The Adelaide Magistrates Court heard that the ICAC was investigating a trip taken by Hanlon and Vasilevski to Melbourne during the Melbourne Cup in 2017. However, this case has since been thrown out.
Although Stephanie Hardy managed to avoid a conviction, she was still fined $1,000 for her actions.
Former Employee of Renewal SA Penalized
John Hanlon, a former employee of Renewal SA, had charges against him dropped, and further attempts to prosecute him were abandoned due to a failed investigation by ICAC.
Throughout the process, both Hanlon and his colleague, Georgina Vasilevski, have maintained their innocence, and no adverse findings have been made against them.
During the sentencing, Magistrate Simon Smart revealed that listening devices installed in the Renewal SA offices had recorded audio of another employee, Ms. Hardy, disclosing the ICAC phone call to her superiors.
According to Magistrate Smart, the recording captured Hanlon and Vasilevski discussing their activities in Melbourne, including travel and accommodation arrangements.
The recording also caught Ms. Hardy expressing her concern about potential jail time after disclosing ICAC’s requests, to which Hanlon reassured her that she would not go to jail.
Additionally, the recording captured Hanlon advising Ms. Hardy to handle the situation carefully and only provide ICAC with the information they specifically asked for.
Magistrate Smart addressed Hanlon and Vasilevski, stating that their actions involved alerting the targets of the inquiry about the investigation and keeping them informed.
He acknowledged that the initial ICAC phone call caught them off guard and that their loyalties were conflicted, as they felt obligated to inform Hanlon and Vasilevski, whom they regarded as their employers.
Despite being aware of the offense they were committing, Hanlon and Vasilevski felt compelled to keep their colleagues informed.
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After the magistrate acknowledged the distressing nature of the incident, Ms. Hardy became emotional, burying her face in her hands and crying.
Ms. Hardy did not provide any comments outside of the court.
