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Melbourne newspaper The Age has reported that Leona Turra, Chief Executive of Mount Baw Baw Alpine Resort, is being investigated over allegations of serious impropriety and financial mismanagement.

The Melbourne newspaper suggests that the investigation rasies concerns about the management of Victoria's ski fields, which receive millions of dollars in Victorian Government funding each year.

A report in The Sunday Age indicates Leona Turra has been accused of rorting the organisation's corporate and marketing budgets and providing free lift passes, food and alcohol to family members.

The resort's management board has reportedly appointed consultancy firm Deloitte to conduct an independent inquiry following complaints from resort staff.

Victorian Environment Minister Ryan Smith told The Sunday Age "these are serious and concerning allegations and the appropriate action will be taken following the outcome of the independent review."

The newspaper reported that "several sources have told The Sunday Age that the resort was losing money, despite receiving $9.3 million in public funding from the Department of Sustainability and Environment over the past five years.

"Last year, the resort lost $117,897 but in June the board approved a three-year extension of Ms Turra's contract and a $30,000 salary increase, taking her annual remuneration to more than $200,000.

"Since the ski season began in June, Ms Turra is alleged to have provided complimentary hospitality to more than 10 relatives, which is believed to have been paid for out of the corporate, marketing and public relations expense accounts.

"60-year-old bureaucrat Ms Turra has also been accused of inappropriately appointing family members to lucrative positions at the popular tourist destination about 120 kilometres east of Melbourne.

"Ms Turra's son, Warrick Mann, is the information technology manager at the resort, despite living in the Latrobe Valley and working as a full-time teacher at Traralgon Secondary College. At least two other family members, including her husband and daughter-in-law, are also believed to have been given seasonal work on the mountain. "

The Sunday Age report continued: "Mann and his wife, Caroline, recently went on a $5,000 skiing junket to Mount Hotham that was allegedly paid for by a budget controlled by Ms Turra, according to several sources.

"The appointment of former Labor MP Ian Maxfield as human resources manager has also attracted criticism. Mr Maxfield was ordered to complete an anger management course in 2002 after he physically confronted Liberal MP Terry Mulder, who is now Transport Minister.

"Ms Turra and Mr Mann both said they could not discuss any of the claims while the matters were being investigated. Board chairman Ralph Booth said hospitality provided to Ms Turra's relatives could have been covered by a private expense account she paid for."

Despite reporting losses in four of the past five years, The Sunday Age quoted Booth defended Turra's performance and the $30,000 pay rise.

Booth was quoted as stating "it's the resort that's losing money, not her. It could have been a lot worse. I'm well aware of the dire financial situation, but without substantial capital expansion by the government, things won't get better."

The Sunday Age report went on to state that "in 2004 Ms Turra resigned from a $300,000 role as Chief Executive of Central Gippsland Health Service days before the entire board was sacked by former Victorian Health Minister Bronwyn Pike. After police and ombudsman inquiries, Ms Turra - then known as Leona Mann - was found to have inappropriately approved $103,000 in payments to the board's former Chairman Dr Allan Wain for business-class flights, car hire and telephone costs.

"The allegations at Mount Baw Baw follow an audit report by KPMG in 2007, which uncovered a litany of problems with corporate credit cards and conflicts of interests involving five boards that control Victoria's ski fields."

In 2006 The Age revealed that former Victorian Environment Minister John Thwaites received free ski trips and hospitality from the alpine boards he appointed.

To view the original article go to http://tiny.cc/pnzib

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