Mary Elizabeth Delahunty (born 7 June 1951) is an Australian journalist and former politician from the Labor Party.
The acting Victorian Ombudsman announced in January 2004 that he would "investigate why the former Surveyor-General's final annual report was substantially altered before being tabled in State Parliament last November" He also announced he would investigate the misuse of the Surveyor-General's electronic signature by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.
It also found that Bell's signature was assigned to the Annual Report 2002-03 of the Surveyors Board of Victoria, without his knowledge or consent.
Bell was acknowledged as a competent, highly respected public servant and he was held in the highest esteem by both the surveying profession and the business sector.
Baillieu further cited the Ombudsman's findings that the altering of the report was inappropriate and there were concerns regarding the adequacy of the investigations.
[10] The tabled report bears the hand-written note signed by Bell's successor: "Amended by the direction of the Minister.
The Opposition blamed Delahunty and her predecessor Sherryl Garbutt, for alleged political interference in the performance of the Surveyor-General's responsibilities.
Such interference included: attempts to block or alter annual reports from Bell; affix his electronic signature without his knowledge or permission; threats and intimidation by the former executive director of Land Victoria Elizabeth O'Keeffe; hiring of private investigators to investigate Bell and his office; and efforts to interfere with his review of State electoral boundaries in his capacity as an Electoral Boundaries Commissioner.
[13] Delahunty commented in the media that in late February 2005 "she picked up The Sunday Age to read that members of the ruling Right faction of the ALP wanted her out of her safe seat.