OPP considering decision on rorts-for-votes scandal
The Office of Public Prosecution is now considering whether charges should be laid over the rorts-for votes scandal, but it’s unclear if any decision would happen before Saturday’s election.
Law & Order
Don't miss out on the headlines from Law & Order. Followed categories will be added to My News.
The Office of Public Prosecutions is now considering whether charges should be laid over the rorts-for-votes scandal.
Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton told 3AW the matter had been with the OPP for “a couple of weeks”.
MORE: POLICE PROBE RORTS FOR VOTES
It is unclear when the OPP will forward a recommendation back to police on whether charges should be laid.
“It’s not in my hands at the minute. So as soon as they get back to us we’ll … we’ll do it straight away as soon as we know,” Mr Ashton told 3AW.
A special police taskforce has spent months examining evidence and conducting interviews on the matter.
Victorian attorney-general Martin Pakula told ABC radio this morning he wasn’t going to talk about an ongoing investigation, but added people should “wait and hold judgement”.
“The Ombudsman said that all MPs were acting in good faith in the legitimate belief that it was an approved scheme. As for the police investigation, I am not going to go into the details of the police investigation,” he said.
Ombudsman Deborah Glass found that 21 MPs, including six ministers, spent almost $388,000 on casual electorate officers who helped run ALP campaigns in marginal seats.
The six ministers are Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings, Attorney-General Martin Pakula, Youth Affairs Minister Jenny Mikakos, Corrections Minister Gayle Tierney, Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio and Sports Minister John Eren.