Organisation behind $3.6bn international project releases findings of report that found none of the claims of financial mismanagement had been upheld
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The organisation behind the Square Kilometre Array Observatory in outback Western Australia says an independent investigation into claims of financial mismanagement has found “no credible evidence” of any wrongdoing.
In August, Guardian Australia reported on whistleblower complaints regarding the global radio astronomy project, including claims that funds had been lost through external trading accounts and concerns around procurement.
On Monday, the organisation released the findings of a report into the allegations conducted under the organisation’s whistleblower policy which found that none of the whistleblower allegations had been upheld.
The whistleblower has this week resigned in protest.
In a statement, the SKAO council chair, Dr Filippo Zerbi, said that following receipt of the disclosures in March he had commissioned the UK office of international law firm Squire Patton Boggs to complete an external investigation into the complaint.
The whistleblower had objected to SPB conducting the probe given SKAO was an existing client of the firm. However, Zerbi said that given this potential conflict, “strict barriers between SPB teams were put in place to ensure full impartiality of the process”.
“The report found that none of the allegations were upheld, and...
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