The story of Integrity Oversight Victoria
The story of Integrity Oversight Victoria began when Victoria gave agencies extraordinary powers to investigate serious crime and corruption.
In the mid-2000s, Victoria reshaped the way it tackled major crime. New laws gave investigators stronger tools — the ability to compel answers, demand documents and use covert techniques. These powers were effective, but they were also intrusive.
Parliament recognised that public confidence depended on strong safeguards. And so, alongside these reforms, Victoria created a small, independent oversight body whose sole purpose was to make sure power was exercised fairly, carefully and lawfully.
The early years: the Special Investigations Monitor
That body was the Office of the Special Investigations Monitor (SIM), which began work in November 2004. Its task was not to investigate crime, but to independently monitor those who did — watching how they questioned people, how they demanded information, and whether their methods matched the seriousness of the task at hand.
From the outset, the SIM oversaw the Office of Police Integrity, paying close attention to how coercive powers were used. It assessed whether questioning stayed on point, whether requests for documents were reasonable, and whether complaints about conduct were properly examined. When issues arose, the SIM reported and recommended change.
The office was small in its early years. David Talbot Jones was the first Special Investigations Monitor, followed by Leslie Ross in 2009. Despite its size, the role of the SIM steadily expanded as Victoria’s integrity framework grew more complex.
In 2005, the functions of the SIM included monitoring compliance by the Chief Examiner, Examiners, the Chief Commissioner of Police and members of Victoria Police; assessing the relevance of questions and document requirements by the Chief Examiner and Examiner during examinations; investigating complaints; and making reports and recommendations.
In 2006, responsibility for inspecting the use of telecommunications interception powers transferred from the Victorian Ombudsman to the SIM. From the same year, the SIM oversaw the use of surveillance devices by authorised Victorian agencies, including inspection of agency records and compliance with cross-jurisdictional warrant arrangements.
In 2008, the SIM assumed oversight of controlled operations, which are undercover activities. This role involved receiving regular reports from law enforcement agencies, inspecting records, and reporting to ministers and parliament on the conduct of those operations and levels of compliance.
In February 2013, the Office of the Special Investigations Monitor was closed. Its role, records and responsibilities were transferred to a new body designed for a broader and more modern integrity system.
A broader lens: the Victorian Inspectorate
The Victorian Inspectorate (VI) began operating on 10 February 2013, at the same time the Office of Police Integrity closed and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) opened its doors. The VI became IBAC’s independent overseer, tasked with making sure the state’s new anti-corruption watchdog itself operated properly. In addition, the VI became the backbone of Victoria’s integrity system, overseeing multiple powerful bodies and the way they used their most intrusive powers.
The VI was established to monitor IBAC’s compliance with the law, assess the fairness and effectiveness of its processes, receive complaints about its conduct, and investigate when concerns arose. It also inherited the inspection responsibilities previously held by the Special Investigations Monitor, including oversight of surveillance devices, intercepted communications and controlled operations.
Before it commenced operating, new integrity laws were introduced, and the VI’s responsibilities grew. It became involved in overseeing public interest disclosures, auditing the work of public interest monitors, and reviewing how other watchdogs —the Victorian Auditor-General and the Victorian Ombudsman — exercised their coercive powers and complied with certain laws.
Leadership during this period helped shape the organisation’s identity. Robin Brett QC guided the VI through its formative years. He was followed by Eamonn Moran PSM QC (later KC), who served for 7 years and became a strong advocate for clearer public understanding of the VI’s role. Cathy Cato, the VI’s long-term CEO/General Counsel and Executive Director, Legal and Integrity, stepped in as Acting Inspector during the transition to its next chapter.
The VI began with just 6 staff overseeing 8 bodies. Over time, as parliament placed greater emphasis on integrity and accountability, it grew in size and responsibility. In 2020, alongside IBAC and the Victorian Ombudsman, the Victorian Inspectorate became a budget independent body, with funding directly appropriated by parliament and increased parliamentary oversight via annual plans and 4 yearly independent performance audits. By mid-2024, the Victorian Inspectorate had a staff of 30, oversight of 14 bodies, and sufficient ongoing funding to reflect its increased remit.
Despite its expanding reach, the name ‘Victorian Inspectorate’ often left people unsure of what it actually did. For years, the organisation’s leadership argued that its title did not reflect its true role — independent oversight at the heart of Victoria’s integrity system.
In focus: Integrity Oversight Victoria
Exactly 12 years after the VI began operations, that long-sought change arrived. On 10 February 2025, the Victorian Inspectorate became Integrity Oversight Victoria.
The new name said plainly what the organisation had always done: oversee integrity. Along with the name change came a new title for its leader — Chief Integrity Inspector — reflecting the significance and independence of the role.
In May 2025, Louise Macleod was appointed Chief Integrity Inspector for a 5-year term.
Today, Integrity Oversight Victoria stands as the lead oversight body in the state’s integrity system. It provides parliament and the public with assurance that integrity bodies act lawfully, fairly and properly. It monitors the use of coercive powers, investigates complaints, inspects the use of covert tools like surveillance devices and phone interceptions, and reports openly when it can on what it finds.
Its work spans a wide range of bodies, including IBAC, the Victorian Ombudsman, the Victorian Auditor-General’s Office, the Chief Examiner, the Office of the Victorian Information Commissioner, the Parliamentary Workplace Standards and Integrity Commission and Victoria Police. At its peak, it has overseen 15 integrity bodies.
From a small office checking the use of police powers, to a central pillar of Victoria’s integrity framework, Integrity Oversight Victoria’s story is one of steady growth, careful scrutiny and an unwavering commitment to strengthening Victoria’s integrity system.
Updated