Victoria's corruption watchdog will review its practices after criticism from a coroner investigating the death of a former mayor.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission has accepted recommendations from Coroner David Ryan, after he found delays by the watchdog impacted Amanda Stapledon's mental health before she took her own life.
The former City of Casey mayor was being investigated by IBAC in a probe known as Operation Sandon when she died in January last year.
In findings handed down on Tuesday, the coroner criticised IBAC for failing to keep witnesses informed and recommended a review of its policies.
"We will now review the operation of our legislation and associated practices and consider what we can do to address the issue raised," an IBAC spokeswoman said on Wednesday.
The coroner found Ms Stapledon gave evidence as part of the investigation into alleged corruption at the council in Melbourne’s southeast at least 10 months before her death.
She had not been informed criminal proceedings would not be brought against her before she died.
He said Ms Stapledon’s uncertainty as to whether she would be prosecuted was a significant stressor.
“The uncertainty as to whether she would face criminal prosecution was a significant stressor which became exacerbated over time,” he wrote.
“It is likely that her stress and anxiety would have been appreciably alleviated had she been informed that on the evidence before it, IBAC was not contemplating and did not intend to bring criminal proceedings against her or refer her to any prosecutorial body.”
He added that while IBAC sent a letter to Ms Stapledon’s lawyers four days before her death outlining she would not be prosecuted, they did not read it before she died.
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