MP Adem Somyurek wants ‘Red Shirts’ matter referred to corruption watchdog

Andrews government minister Martin Foley has rejected claims by former minister Adem Somyurek that Labor lawyers told MPs not to help a police probe into the “red shirts” scandal.

Senior Andrews government Minister Martin Foley has rejected bombshell claims that Labor lawyers instructed MPs not to cooperate with the police investigation into the red shirts rort.

Asked if the claims made by Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek were true, Mr Foley hit back: “Not to my knowledge”.

“I’m not sure what Mr Somyurek is talking about. That’s certainly not my experience,” he said.

It comes after the Sunday Herald Sun revealed that Mr Somyurek plans to this week move a motion in parliament to have the Andrews government’s infamous red shirts scandal referred to IBAC.

Mr Foley on Sunday said the matter had been investigated previously, but refused to answer questions on whether he believed a new investigation should be launched.

“That’s a matter for those investigatory bodies. The matter is not for me to judge,” he said.

“The matter has well and truly been investigated by Victoria Police, by the Ombudsman and others, and I’ll let those reports stand.

“I’ll stand by those reports.

“These things are well and truly on the public record.”

Mr Somyurek has spent ­recent weeks canvassing support from the upper house crossbench to refer the rort and other matters to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.

The former minister says he ­believes the Ombudsman was ­legally bound to refer the matter to IBAC because of the systemic corruption that ­underpinned the rort.

“The Ombudsman did not refer the red shirts schemes to IBAC, resulting in the Labor Party not co-operating with the Ombudsman’s investigation,” he told MPs.

“The ALP lawyers advised MPs and staff that participated in the red shirts scheme not to co-operate.”

Senior Andrews government minister Martin Foley has rejected Mr Somyurek’s claims. Picture: Jason Edwards

Crossbench sources said they believed the motion could pass with minor amendments.

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

Almost two dozen MPs, ­including several ministers, were embroiled in the scandal.

It led to a damning Ombudsman’s report – which Mr Somyurek argues was insufficient because she lacked coercive powers, meaning MPs did not have to co-operate – and a police ­investigation.

“I am putting myself at grave risk here because we (Labor MPs collectively) acted corruptly, and then we did not co-operate with the Ombudsman’s inquiry and the various police investigations because the Labor Party lawyers told us not to,” he said in a leaked email to MPs.

“There is a reason why red shirts does not go away and that is because it was wrong, and we knew it. The party ­leadership was too desperate to win, and had lost all ­perspective.”

Adem Somyurek wants the ‘Red Shirts’ scandal referred to the state’s corruption watchdog. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Ombudsman Deborah Glass concluded that the ­arrangement was an “artifice”, it was “wrong”, but did not recommend charges or action.

Victoria Police launched a probe but laid no charges.

“Since the Ombudsman did not believe the matter reached the threshold of corruption, she did not refer the matter to IBAC, who could have used their coercive powers to ­investigate,” Mr Somyurek’s email said.

“As a participant in the red shirts scheme, however, we collectively acted corruptly and stole taxpayer funds.

“I am taking a big risk in putting this motion up. I am certainly in the firing line.”

Mr Somyurek’s motion is expected to personally name Daniel Andrews.

The opposition has called for police to reopen the investigation into the red shirts affair.

Chief Commissioner Shane Patton has requested an assessment of recent IBAC hearings to determine whether any further action is warranted.

A government spokesman said: “These matters have ­already been reviewed by the Victorian Ombudsman and Victoria Police.”

Mr Andrews sacked Mr Somyurek from his cabinet in June 2020 when he was ­accused of branch stacking

Originally published as MP Adem Somyurek wants ‘Red Shirts’ matter referred to corruption watchdog