Police chief under fire after appointing Brett Curran as chief of staff
POLICE chief Graham Ashton’s decision to appoint Premier Daniel Andrews’ former top adviser as his chief of staff has raised eyebrows within the ALP.
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VICTORIA Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton’s decision to appoint Premier Daniel Andrews’ former top adviser as his chief of staff has raised eyebrows within the ALP.
Brett Curran has been seconded to the role of Mr Ashton’s chief of staff, two years after he was shunted out of Mr Andrews’ office when Labor was in opposition.
He was replaced by John McLindon, who remains Mr Andrews’ chief of staff in government.
The Coalition has seized on Mr Curran’s new role, which was defended today by Mr Ashton, as a potential conflict.
But the move has also been questioned within Labor ranks, with some quick to criticise Mr Curran’s form when he was Mr Andrews’ right-hand man.
“This has got to be a joke,” one Labor source said when told of Mr Curran’s new role.
Questions have also been raised about the role in light of the rorts-for-votes saga.
Police are assessing a complaint about Labor's use of taxpayer-funded electorate officers prior to the 2014 election.
Coalition police spokesman Ed O’Donohue said it was important Mr Ashton be seen to be independent.
“As Chief Commissioner of Victoria Police you have to not only be nonpartisan but be seen to be nonpartisan,’’ he said.
“The appointment of Daniel Andrews’ former chief of staff and confidante could expose the Chief Commissioner’s office to criticism.’’
Mr Ashton told 774 Mornings that Mr Curran was not involved in any “operational decision-making”.
He said Mr Curran was no longer an ALP member, and that the role was “not a Peta Credlin-type role”.
“He is someone who is an experienced chief of staff, and the amount of correspondence that has to be managed is enormous,” he said.
Before being Mr Andrews’s chief of staff in opposition, Mr Curran was former Police Minister Bob Cameron’s chief of staff in the Brumby Government.