Crossbench MPs block reopening of red shirts investigation

A crossbencher was labelled a “hypocrite” after siding with the Andrews government to block a reinvestigation of the red shirts rort.

A move to try and have the Andrews government’s infamous red shirts election rort reinvestigated has been blocked, with the help of three key crossbench MPs.

Reason Party MP Fiona Patten, Greens leader Samantha Ratnam and Animal Justice MP Andy Meddick all sided with the government to block a referral of new evidence to the Victorian Ombudsnam.

Leader of the Opposition in the Upper House, David Davis, sought to refer claims the initial police investigation of the rort was thwarted by senior officers.

The Herald Sun last week revealed a police whistleblower involved in the initial investigation made a formal statement claiming police command purposely thwarted the probe.

The explosive 29-page statement to the Independent Broadbased Anti-Corruption Commission claimed police work was actively interfered with and obstructed by senior police.

Mr Davis said he would now forward the material to both the Ombudsman and IBAC.

But he had wanted the formality of the parliament making a referral.

A push was under way to reopen a probe into the red shirts rort.

Mr Davis’s motion also called on Ombudsman Deborah Glass to assess the material and, if appropriate, reopen an investigation into the matter.

He accused the government of a cover-up while labelling Ms Ratnam as a hypocrite for voting against the motion immediately after she spoke on a Greens Bill to strengthen integrity measures.

The Anti-Corruption and Higher Parliamentary Standards (Strengthening Integrity) Bill 2022 has been introduced by the Greens in a bid to beef up the powers of IBAC.

It would give the independent watchdog greater licence to investigate MPs, Ministers, parliamentary secretaries and lobbyists.

It would also legislate the codes of conduct for ministers and lobbyists, while establishing a Parliamentary Integrity Commissioner.

Mr Davis said it smacked of hypocrisy that Ms Ratnam could both speak to toughening integrity measures while blocking a referral of alleged police corruption to the Ombudsman.

Victorian Shadow Treasurer David Davis pushed for the reopening of a probe. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has defended Victoria Police against the claims, saying he was not aware of any interference in the investigation.

But while the government has maintained the red shirts rort has been thoroughly examined, claims of police thwarting the investigation have not been investigated.

The rort saw almost $388,000 in taxpayers’ money spent on part-paying electorate staff to campaign for the 2014 election.

Former minister Adem Somyurek successfully had the matter referred to Ms Glass earlier this year after securing the deciding vote of then Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela.

He was not in parliament to vote on today’s motion.

Ms Glass ruled in July there was no new evidence of criminality or corruption to warrant further action.

Crossbench MPs Samantha Ratnam, Andy Meddick, and Fiona Patten. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

“It is time to end this debate,” she wrote in her report.

“I cannot, of course, rule out that further evidence may yet come to light, but with the passage of time and difficulty in proof I am not prepared to spend further public resources on these matters.”

The police whistleblower, a veteran of 33 years, was directly involved in the 2018 investigation, arrest of suspects and subsequent interviews.

“For some strange reason the Labor MPs in this investigation were not arrested,” they said.

The whistleblower also claimed detectives were refused permission by police command from obtaining the phone records and other computer data relating to Labor MPs.

“The refusal by Police Command to allow the Fraud Squad investigators to search thoroughly and gather all of the available evidence, in order to do their job fairly, properly and without fear or favour is very unusual and suspicious.

“I believe that the police investigation and the decision on whether to charge the Labor MPs were intentionally delayed until after the election in November 2018 for political reasons. It is indicative that there probably was political interference in the criminal investigation.”

Originally published as Crossbench MPs block reopening of red shirts investigation