Blind eye turned to corruption: Vic IBAC

Victoria's bureaucracy turns a blind eye to potentially corrupt behaviour, according to a public servant who admits to exploiting the tendering process to reap $1.8 million.

Suspended Public Transport of Victoria employee Barry Wells has told the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) he knew of other cases of suspect behaviour that had been overlooked by his department.

Mr Wells said he would tell all, though not in a public hearing.

"... Signage was done by one of the bosses' family, one of the regional managers' relations built shelters at one stage, someone might have a friend at a council and they'd distribute them more money than others," he told Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog on Tuesday.

"There would be one (case) I'd rather say offline.

"I'd talk to investigators, yes."

It is alleged Mr Wells, with accomplice and colleague Albert Ooi, subverted the tendering process to award public works contracts to companies they either owned or could get a kickback from.

Mr Wells said Mr Ooi had kept the books on their operations from 2007 to 2014, however he could not dispute receiving cash and gifts worth up to $1.8 million as his equal share.

He was asked if a departmental culture of turning a blind eye was a reason for his wrongdoing going undetected for so long.

"That would be the case," Mr Wells said.

"There were audits and as long as the process was followed it would go through ... a rigorous audit would have found it."

Mr Wells said it started when he and Mr Ooi were buying bus shelters for $1300 and realised they could get them for cheaper and turn a profit.

Eventually they found themselves "so far in, and you get to a situation where you couldn't get out".

The IBAC has adjourned until August 25 when it will begin examining oversight mechanisms and procedures at Public Transport Victoria.

IBAC can submit its ultimate findings in a report to the Victorian parliament, or refer matters to the Office of Public Prosecutions which can lay criminal charges.