Andrews created a culture of fear and centralised power: ombudsman

In one example, a public official lost employment after providing candid advice to the government regarding “a costly election commitment” shortly after its win in 2014.

The report investigated 45 highly placed public servants and reviewed millions of individual records across more than a dozen agencies. But Ms Glass found that cabinet secrecy was a “significant block” to a full investigation.

“A culture of fear in the upper echelons of the public sector does not support frank and fearless advice,” she said.

The report charts how the development of the Suburban Rail Loop was subject to “excessive secrecy” and found that senior public servants were excluded from consultations on the 90-kilometre orbital rail line around Melbourne.

The report also found instances of “the frequent appointment of former ministerial staffers without open and advertised processes, often explained by a pressing need to hire someone familiar with government policy to ‘get things done’.”

The report also focused on the expanded role of the Premier’s Private Office, or PPO as it is known, which expanded to 84 staff and became central in the decision-making process, above the public service and even ministers.

“One former secretary noted many public servants showed an unhealthy focus on PPO views and reactions, which were perhaps even put above those of their relevant minister’s office,” the report said.

Ms Glass has recommended that a new independent public service chief should appoint senior bureaucrats. She also recommended the overhaul of employment clauses that let the government terminate workers at short notice, and recommended improvements to minimise cabinet secrecy.

‘Deeply unfair’

Mr Andrews was not interviewed. Premier Jacinta Allan, in Canberra on Wednesday for a national cabinet meeting, said the ombudsman’s report did not find one example of partisan political hiring in the public sector.

“Those inferences that are being drawn by others, the speculation, the shade being thrown on a very strong public sector that we have in Victoria is not just deeply unfair, it is not founded in any evidence that is presented in the report released today,” she said.

Treasurer Tim Pallas said there had been a “relaxation on central control” since Ms Allan succeeded Mr Andrews, but added that central control established a “very capable” and “high performing” government.

“The premier has a different style and that’s the way she wants to go about it. I think you’d find from the ministers that they’re quite relaxed with that approach,” Mr Pallas said.

Ms Glass, when asked if she believed the culture of the Victorian public sector would change following the departure of Mr Andrews, said: “I can’t answer that question. I simply don’t know.”

Victorian Department of Premier and Cabinet secretary Jeremi Moule later hit back at her assertions regarding the role, scale and influence of his department.

“It is clear that the ombudsman and I have differing views in relation to DPC’s role in serving the government and in leading the Victorian public sector,” Mr Moule said.

“It is my hope now that the ombudsman’s findings will bring to an end unfounded and unfair criticisms of Victoria’s skilled and dedicated public sector workforce.”

Opposition Leader John Pesutto described the report as one of the “most serious and damning” indictments yet on the state Labor government, and said he would lead a government that put a premium on integrity and good governance if elected in 2026.