After nearly 12 years in power, the Victorian government’s longevity has come at some cost to its integrity

Last week, Victorians found out what happened in 2016 when their state government negotiated a secret deal with the firefighters’ union. The Operation Richmond report, tabled by the state’s key integrity body the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC), investigated allegations that some senior ministers and public servants made a pay deal with the United Firefighters Union behind closed doors, without the knowledge of the minister responsible. The findings painted a sordid…