Former Ipswich City Council CEO sentenced for accepting bribes reflects on time behind bars

Publisher
ABC News
Date published
February 2019

Relevant impacts: Human Impact, Government Outcomes Impact, Reputational Impact, Industry Impact.

In February 2019, former Ipswich City Council CEO Carl Wulff was sentenced to 5 years imprisonment, with eligibility for release after 20 months, on 2 counts of official corruption and one count of attempting to prevent the course of justice.

Between 2012 and 2013, Wulff accepted bribes amounting to over $240,000 from council contractors including a $7000 deck for his home, cash payments and other benefits. Much of the funds were routed through a shell company operated by his wife, Sharon Oxenbridge, in an attempt to conceal their illicit nature.

The Queensland Crime and Corruption Commission (CCC) uncovered the corruption after a multi-year investigation, codenamed “Operation Windage”, into allegations of corruption concerning the Ipswich City Council. As a result of the operation, 16 individuals (including Wulff and his wife) were charged with criminal offences, 4 of whom have now been sentenced.

While in prison, Wulff collaborated with the CCC to produce an anti-corruption testimonial video. In it, he reflects on the crime itself and the deep personal, professional and emotional impact of his actions. He also outlines the process of corruption and how it often begins as smaller, less obvious actions such as free lunches or tickets to sports games before building up to larger bribes. Ultimately, he concludes that engaging in corrupt conduct is never worth it and that you will always get caught, even if it’s years later.

Watch the video at CCC | Carl Wulff - The Inside Story | Full length | 2019 - YouTube

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The Reckless

The Reckless acts without care, responsibility or regard to the consequences of their actions by disregarding requirements, procedures, warnings or directions to gain personal benefits.

The Concealer

The Concealer hides their actions from being seen or known about to dishonestly gain personal benefits.

The Exploiter

The Exploiter uses something for a wrongful purpose to dishonestly gain personal benefits.

Related countermeasures

Positive workplace culture

A positive workplace culture can encourage ethical and supportive behaviours while discouraging fraudulent or corrupt activities. Staff will be less able to rationalise fraudulent or corrupt activities where a positive workplace culture exists. A culture built on honesty, transparency and integrity is a key organisational strength that can serve to reduce the risk of fraud. If weak countermeasures are the fuel, a bad culture can be the spark that ignites fraud and corruption.

Governance, accountability and oversight

Establish governance, accountability and oversight of processes by using delegations and requiring committees and project boards to oversee critical decisions and risk. Good governance, accountability and oversight increases transparency and reduces the opportunity for fraud.

Managerial, independent or expert oversight

Make sure a manager, independent person or expert oversees actions and decisions. Involving multiple people in actions and decisions increases transparency and reduces the opportunity for fraud.

Defined decision-making powers

Clearly document decision-makers using delegations, authorisations and instructions. Clearly defined decision-making powers increase transparency and reduce the opportunity for fraud and corruption.

Help and support

Help and support to customers, staff and third parties to help them follow correct processes and encourage them to comply with rules and processes and meet expectations.

Deterrence messaging

Providing clear statements and communications on entity practices to detect and respond to fraud can discourage fraudulent or corrupt activities. Staff and clients will be less able to rationalise or justify fraudulent or corrupt conduct when informed of the outcomes of fraud.

Public transparency

Publish information on your entity’s decision-making processes, decisions made, successful tenderers or grantees, incidents and breaches.

Complaints handling

Allow clients, staff and third parties to lodge complaints about actions or decisions they disagree with. This may identify fraud or corruption as a cause for complaints, such as a failure to receive an expected payment.

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