Forensic Audit
Hook
Want to trace a contract back to its donors, directors, and decision-makers? Here's the framework.
Key Numbers
- Two investigation tracks: contract-first and donor-first [framework]
- Red badge = verified cross-reference; amber = candidate match [workflow]
- Every step linked to a primary source [methodology]
Context
The forensic audit page is not an automated output — it is a workflow. It gives you a structured way to walk backwards from any contract to the donations, directorships, and overlapping public records that surround it. Or, conversely, walk forward from any donor to the contracts they subsequently won.
Each step asks a specific question. Each question is answered with a citation to a public record. The colour coding is deliberate: red means we have a verified match to a primary source; amber means we have a candidate match awaiting confirmation. Nothing is asserted that isn't documented.
This is the tool for a journalist or researcher who wants to build a dossier. It doesn't write the story for you. It assembles the facts in an order that lets you see the shape of one.
Takeaway
You don't need subpoenas to investigate public spending. You need a framework, a lot of patience, and access to the public record. This page gives you two of the three.
Share Stat
A step-by-step framework for tracing any Victorian government contract back to its donors and directors.
Last reviewed: 11 Apr 2026