Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews responds to IBAC corruption probe

With the state election only months away, Victorian Premier Dan Andrews is facing the fourth anti-corruption probe since he’s been in office.

Premier Dan Andrews has spoken out as he faces questions in an anti-corruption probe over his government’s grant to a Labor-aligned union in 2018.

The Herald Sun reported this week the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) was investigating a $1.2 million grant made to the Health Workers Union in October 2018.

It is the fourth probe the Victorian Premier has been linked to during his time in office.

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy

Mr Andrews dismissed the reports, releasing a statement on Saturday claiming he acts “appropriately at all times and in all things”.

“Regardless of any smear, innuendo, or media reporting based on anonymous sources, the only IBAC matters I will comment on are those that are the subject of a final report – as is appropriate and has always been my position,” Andrews said.

“I act appropriately at all times and in all things.

“That is the oath I swore and I take it very seriously.”

The latest investigation is looking into funding awarded to the HWU ahead of the 2018 election.

It formed part of a multimillion-dollar package for the training of hospital staff against occupational violence which was announced a week before the government went into caretaker mode.

Victorian Opposition Leader Matthew Guy labelled the Andrews Government as “mired in scandal corruption”.

“This is not the first, it's not the second, it's not the third, it is in fact the fourth time this government is being investigated by the anti-corruption commission,” the Opposition Leader said on Saturday, adding it was “unprecedented.”

Other IBAC investigations during Andrews reign have concerned Victorian Labor’s employment of campaign organisers as casual electorate officers in 2014, a misuse of parliament’s budget known as Red Shirts and which required Labor to repay $387,000, as well as a separate investigation into widespread branch stacking in Victorian Labor.

Victorians head to the polls on November 26.

Originally published as Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews responds to IBAC corruption probe