On 30 May 2019, IBAC received a complaint from an anonymous source alleging that the procurement process and awarding of a contract by the then Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) to the Health Education Federation (HEF) for the provision of training to health workers in November 2018 constituted serious corrupt conduct. 

IBAC initially referred the matter to the Victorian Ombudsman for investigation because the allegations fell below IBAC’s threshold for investigation. In November 2019, the Victorian Ombudsman notified IBAC that an investigation had identified evidence of pressure exerted on DHHS staff to award the contract to HEF, which raised reasonable suspicion of corrupt conduct by a number of ministers and ministerial staff. IBAC then commenced the Operation Daintree investigation.

The investigation substantiated the factual allegations in the original complaint. It also substantiated the suspicion in the Ombudsman’s notification that a ministerial advisor working in the Victorian Health Minister’s office exerted pressure on DHHS staff to award the contract to the HEF. It also found that an advisor in the office of the subsequent Health Minister and an advisor in the office of the Premier (acting through the Health Minister’s office) intruded into DHHS’ management of the contract in ways favourable to the HEF and against the public interest.