ICAC case study
Bribery and false licences: Operation Sirona

Speaker:
Deirdre Cooper
Senior Corruption Prevention Officer, Independent Commission Against Corruption

Abstract:
Operation Sirona concerned the conduct of Mr Paul McPherson, the Registry Services Manager at the Botany motor registry of the NSW Roads and Traffic Authority (RTA); Mr Victor Phomsavanh, a restaurant owner; and Mr Komate Jaturawong, a driving instructor.

Between December 2002 and August 2006 Mr McPherson colluded with Mr Phomsavanh and Mr Jaturawong to improperly provide the correct answers to licence applicants undertaking the driver knowledge test and unfairly advantage applicants undergoing a practical driving test. Mr McPherson also created false documents in support of various licence applications and passed them off as genuine to other registry officers to deceive them into believing that an applicant was not required to undertake a driving test.

Mr McPherson's corrupt actions resulted in a significant number of people who may not have understood New South Wales road rules or even, in some cases, known how to drive properly being granted licences to drive on New South Wales roads. In two cases, his corrupt conduct allowed driver licences to be obtained under false names, allowing the creation of false identities.

Mr McPherson received cash payments from Mr Phomsavanh and cannabis from Mr Rawiri Potae for providing unlawful assistance to car, motorcycle and truck licence applicants. Mr Jaturawong sought and received cash payments from licence applicants for arranging the provision of unlawful assistance to them by Mr McPherson during the driver knowledge test and practical driving test. Mr Jaturawong paid some of that money to Mr Phomsavanh as a reward for securing the provision of that unlawful assistance by Mr McPherson.

The ICAC made findings of corrupt conduct against Paul McPherson, Victor Phomsavanh and Komate Jaturawong and applicants who obtained a car, motorcycle or truck licence through unlawful means.

The ICAC identified system weaknesses at the RTA in regard to the identification and management of licensing and related corruption risks, the supervision and autonomy of RTA Registry Services Managers, checking and audit processes in relation to licence applications and internal reporting. It made 22 recommendations to assist the RTA to minimise, prevent or detect similar misconduct in the future.