Former School Infrastructure NSW chief found to have engaged in corrupt conduct

The NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption has found former School Infrastructure NSW chief executive Anthony Manning engaged in corrupt conduct by manipulating recruitment and procurement processes to favour friends and associates, following its long-running Operation Landan investigation. (image credit: School Infrastructure NSW.)

In a report released on 22 April 2026, ICAC concluded Mr Manning arranged jobs and consultancy contracts worth millions of dollars for associates while leading School Infrastructure NSW between June 2017 and February 2024.

Commissioner Paul Lakatos SC described the conduct as “a clear case of cronyism”, stating that public funds intended for school infrastructure projects had instead been directed towards “jobs for friends and associates of the chief executive”.

The Commission also stated consideration should be given to obtaining advice from the Director of Public Prosecutions regarding possible criminal charges against Mr Manning, Martin Berry and Wendy O’Brien.

The report found SINSW spent approximately $344 million on contingent workers during Mr Manning’s tenure, with much of the expenditure sourced from funds allocated to school projects, which the Commission said had the effect of obscuring the overall recruitment spend. Twenty-six contingent roles were reportedly paid at or above deputy secretary level. 

One worker received the equivalent of around $644,000 annually and commenced without proper recruitment processes.

ICAC found two associates of Mr Manning, Mr Berry and Ms O’Brien, also engaged in corrupt conduct linked to procurement and staffing decisions within SINSW.

In one case examined by the Commission, Mr Berry drafted the scope of services for a contract later awarded to his own consultancy business. Another consultancy linked to a friend of Mr Manning secured an initial $145,000 contract before later receiving almost 30 times that amount through subsequent work that did not proceed through an open market process. 

MMC and modular delivery also surfaced during hearings
The report also found Mr Manning arranged the removal of several staff members after they questioned decisions within the organisation. ICAC concluded he misrepresented the reasons for terminating two employees.

Ms O’Brien, who worked in a human resources role at SINSW, was found to have acted corruptly by arranging the blacklisting of a company linked to the spouse of an employee who had lodged complaints about two SINSW directors.

Separate evidence heard during the public inquiry also detailed the scale of strategic planning underway inside SINSW around modern methods of construction (MMC), prefabrication and design for manufacture and assembly (DfMA) during the same period.

Evidence tendered during hearings referenced modular pavilion procurement models, “kit of parts” systems, digital construction platforms and integrator-led delivery structures tied to future education infrastructure programs.

During hearings, former executive Stuart Suthern-Brunt said School Infrastructure NSW had begun “mandating MMC on all their projects”.

The Commission additionally criticised oversight within the NSW Department of Education, finding executives failed to respond adequately to procurement and financial warning signs within SINSW.

ICAC made 16 recommendations aimed at strengthening governance, procurement oversight and expenditure monitoring across government agencies.

Read the ICAC findings HERE