I Cook founder accuses state government of protecting Brett Sutton

Brett Sutton will be forced to answer questions on why he closed I Cook amid allegations the Andrews government is running a “protection racket” for him.

I Cook boss Ian Cook. Picture: Alex Coppel

Chief health officer Brett Sutton will front a public inquiry into the I Cook Foods slug gate scandal after explosive allegations the state government is running a “protection racket” for him.

Prof Sutton will testify before the inquiry on Wednesday and MPs will also hear from officials at the City of Greater Dandenong, which has been accused of corruption over the saga.

Ian Cook, the owner of I Cook Foods, has told the inquiry they had been misled on several occasions in 2019, including by advice from Mr Sutton whose department shut his business. “Even the closure order was made unlawfully,” he said.

Mr Cook said the pandemic had meant the Andrews government’s political future had been tied to Prof Sutton, and that this had coincided with the eventual killing off of the police investigation into the department and council.

“Through all of this, I’ve been forced to watch Dr (sic) Brett Sutton, a man who I maintain lied and destroyed my business … being given unfettered powers,” he said.

“I strongly believe this government is running a protection racket for Dr Sutton. This needs to stop.

“In his media conference on the afternoon of February 22, 2019, Dr Sutton named and destroyed, I Cook Foods.

A photo of the slug found at I Cook (left) that was sent to owners, compared to the original photo (right).

“He claimed he was acting out of an abundance of caution.”

When asked about the issue, Prof Sutton said he would not comment publicly because the matter was before the courts and he would speak to it at the inquiry next week.

The reopened inquiry is probing fresh evidence about whether council officials planted a slug at I Cook Foods, with whistleblower Kim Rogerson claiming she later saw staff doctoring a photo of the slug.

It is also examining the decision to shut down the company over the death of a woman in hospital from listeriosis, despite a council report that said she had not eaten their sandwiches.

Mr Cook dismissed questions from government MPs about a genetic link between the listeria found at his company and which was found in the deceased woman, saying the same strain had been discovered in Western Australia and Queensland.

“The problem with some of the questions you people are being forced to ask, is you’re relying on what you were told at the last hearing,” he said.

“Well I’ve got news for you, at the last hearing people lied to you.”

Originally published as I Cook founder accuses state government of protecting Brett Sutton