A Sydney property valuation company that had gained free access to a Valuer General’s website was in such a rush to download information that it engaged three students – at least one of them a schoolboy – to help in their spare time, the Independent Commission Against Corruption heard today.
Headed by David Ipp, QC, ICAC is inquiring how the company, Addisons Valuation Services, got access to the website and downloaded 74,000 strata plans, representing virtually the entire strata plan holdings by the department for NSW.
In doing so, it avoided fees of more than $820,000.
This morning, Patrick Broad, counsel assisting the inquiry, produced a minute from an Addisons’ directors’ meeting in 2009 directing that there should be urgency in the downloading because the site might be available for only a limited period, perhaps two months.
ICAC has heard evidence that Kim Hildebrand, a valuer who previously had access to the Valuer General’s website, had retained her password and access after she terminated her work for the department and then made it available to Addisons.
The commission today heard evidence that all staff employed by Addisons were required to download strata plans at every opportunity and that they were to do a minimum of 50 strata plan downloads per shift.
Source: SMH
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