A fake CV, nepotism, and workplace lessons from Operation Tivoli
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A newly released report from the Independent Commission Against Corruption (ICAC), detailing the conduct of a former senior NSW Health employee, offers pertinent lessons for employers.
ICAC has released its report on Operation Tivoli, an investigation into the conduct of former NSW Health director of engineering and asset management Zoran Ribicic, which found that he had engaged in serious corrupt conduct involving false qualifications, undisclosed conflicts of interest, and unauthorised secondary employment.
In a statement, ICAC outlined that Ribicic, who was employed by the Illawarra Shoalhaven Local Health District (ISLHD), a division of NSW Health, was found to have: faked his qualifications and used false references to obtain several public sector positions between 2012 and 2025; knowingly failed to declare a conflict of interest involving his sister, whose company received more than $275,000 in payments from ISLHD, with Ribicic managing the engagement and approval process; improperly awarded hundreds of thousands of dollars of taxpayers’ money to external contractors by “order splitting”; and deliberately failed to declare and seek approval for secondary employment while working full-time at ISLHD.
“Our investigation demonstrates how dishonesty in recruitment and procurement can expose organisations to significant financial, governance, and reputational risks,” said ICAC commissioner Helen Murrell SC.
“The lessons from Operation Tivoli extend beyond a single agency. While this investigation focused on the corrupt conduct of one individual, the report highlights integrity risks that can arise when recruitment, procurement and conflict of interest controls are not sufficiently robust.”
“Verifying qualifications, effectively managing conflicts of interest, maintaining strong procurement oversight and monitoring for undeclared secondary employment are critical safeguards for any organisation entrusted with public resources.”
The commission is set to refer relevant evidence to the NSW Director of Public Prosecutions regarding possible fraud offences.
ICAC’s statement also detailed numerous lessons for workplaces arising from Operation Tivoli.
Noting that ISLHD and other state and local council bodies had failed to detect dishonesty and hired him, the commission highlighted the importance of independently verifying qualifications, registrations, and references. “With the rise of artificial intelligence, it will be even more important for human resources staff to verify documents and references at source,” ICAC said.
The commission further advised workplaces to implement safeguards against favouritism, misconduct, and loss of public trust, such that personal relationships must be disclosed. It also advised ensuring that procurement processes “include effective oversight, segregation of duties, conflict of interest controls, supplier due diligence and data analytics that identify unusual spending patterns and procurement anomalies”.
Elsewhere, it identified undeclared secondary employment as “a growing risk” and suggested disclosure and oversight arrangements as fundamental controls to mitigate risks such as unmanaged conflicts of interest, compromise public sector performance, and undermine public confidence in the integrity of public officials.
Murrell said: “Operation Tivoli exposes how a determined and dishonest individual can exploit weaknesses in recruitment and procurement systems within the public service, and we hope that agencies across NSW will learn from our investigation and implement the commission’s recommendations.
“Mr Ribicic held a senior role with NSW Health. By falsely claiming qualifications he did not possess, he secured a position of significant responsibility and public trust.
“This was not the first time – or the last time – that he lied to secure a public sector job. Over a period of more than a decade, he relied on false qualifications to obtain responsible positions with multiple agencies. When an agency hires an unqualified person who has dishonestly maintained they hold qualifications that they do not, it should come as no surprise that, once in the job, the person may perform the role dishonestly and/or incompetently. It is an understatement to say that public confidence could be impaired by the recruitment of unqualified and dishonest people.
“Every organisation should ensure its governance controls are robust, transparent and capable of detecting misconduct.”
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