Police probe hones in on two architects of the red shirts rorts-for-votes scheme
A police probe into the Labor “rorts-for-votes” saga is homing in on two party figures who helped orchestrate the scheme as 16 Labor MPs have been exonerated in the investigation, even though they refused to be interviewed about their role in the scandal.
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A police probe into the Labor “rorts-for-votes” saga is homing in on two party figures who helped orchestrate the scheme.
Victoria Police Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton revealed on Thursday that 16 Labor MPs investigated by police over the use of taxpayer-funded staff for political campaigning in 2014 would not face charges.
And 18 Labor campaigners arrested last year in dawn raids as part of the eight-month probe were also cleared of any criminal wrongdoing.
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But the heat remains on the “Red Shirts” scheme’s chief architect and former state treasurer John Lenders and his then-adviser Jadon Mintern, who will both be interviewed by detectives in relation to potential conspiracy to defraud and making false documents offences.
Mr Patton said police decided to drop the case looking at the MPs and Labor field organisers because of insufficient evidence.
He said it was clear from the Victorian Ombudsman’s report into the saga that electorate officers hired by Labor MPs did not do electorate office work for at least part of the 2014 state election campaign.
However, he said the police “lacked the prerequisite points of proof in relation to intent, in relation to knowledge” to lay charges against the MPs and electorate officers.
Regarding the continuing investigation into Mr Lenders and Mr Mintern, he said offences of making false documents and obtaining property or financial advantage by deception were “still on the table”.
They would also be investigated over “matters such as conspiracy to defraud and associated offences”, he said.
Mr Lenders and Mr Mintern did not respond to the Herald Sun on Thursday.
Ombudsman Deborah Glass last year described the arrangement of hiring staff for political work as an “artifice” — a cunning device or trick — to milk more money for Labor’s campaigning.
Ms Glass’s report details how Mr Lenders described the 60:40 payment split between ALP and taxpayer resources, and how timesheets were partially done by Mr Mintern.
“Field organisers were asked to sign their names, leaving the dates of signature blank. The sections requiring a Member of Parliament’s name and signature were also left blank,” she said.
The ALP eventually paid back almost $388,000 that was misused in 2014, but Premier Daniel Andrews insisted that none of his MPs knowingly deceived parliament.
Government spokesman Chris Piper said on Thursday: “This matter is now at an end for MPs.”
“As Victoria Police has made clear, they have been exonerated. Victoria Police has also made clear that no field organisers will be charged. As this matter continues to be considered in regards to other individuals, it’s not appropriate to provide further comment.”
Mr Patton said the police examined the period of March 3-7 in 2014 in the first phase of their investigation “because there was absolute clarity and no ambiguity” about the role field organisers performed at that time.
During the investigation, police arrested 18 former Labor staff in dawn raids, sparking outrage across the party.
Police took advice from QCs, the Victorian Government Solicitor’s Office and the Office of Public Prosecutions during the probe.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien said the decision continued “Labor’s incredible run of luck with the law”.
Mr Patton said the process had been “worthwhile” after the Ombudsman’s report left a question mark hanging over potential criminality.
The 16 exonerated MP’s:
1. Adem Somyurek;
2. Gayle Tierney;
3. Gavin Jennings;
4. Johan Scheffer;
5. Candy Broad;
6. Joe Helper;
7. John Pandazopoulos;
8. Lee Tarlamis;
9. Anthony Carbines;
10. Lily D’Ambrosio;
11. Nazih Elasmar
12. John Eren;
13. Shaun Leane;
14. Marsha Thomson;
15. Brian Tee;
16. Jenny Mikakos
LABOR CLOUD LINGERS
Nine Labor MPs who rorted tens of thousands of dollars from their taxpayer-funded budgets will remain under a cloud after refusing to be interviewed by police over the “red shirts” saga.
Victoria Police deputy commissioner Shane Patton said on Thursday detectives had decided not to charge 16 Labor MPs who were probed over the “rorts-for-votes” scheme.
They include current ministers Adem Somyurek, Gayle Tierney, Gavin Jennings, Lily D’Ambrosio and Jenny Mikakos.
Police looked specifically at work signed off by MPs between March 3 and March 7 in 2014.
This meant some MPs, including senior minister Martin Pakula, were not investigated because they joined the scheme after those dates.
The Coalition said the fact none of the MPs would give interviews to fraud squad detectives meant a question mark would remain over their integrity.
Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass last year found 21 Labor MPs — including those subsequently investigated by police — were involved in an “artifice” to boost the ALP’s 2014 state election campaign. Almost $388,000 of taxpayers’ money was rorted to part-pay political campaigners, she said.
Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien on Thursday said the MPs’ refusal to talk to police made “a farce” of Premier Daniel Andrews’s commitment that his MPs would co-operate.
“Any Victorian who rorted money from their workplace would expect to be charged with a crime,” Mr O’Brien said.
“While Daniel Andrews and his rorting MPs can’t believe their luck, ordinary Victorians will wonder whether a Labor Party membership now comes with a Get Out of Jail Free card.”
In addition to the serving ministers, Upper House president Shaun Leane and backbenchers Anthony Carbines, Nazih Elasmar and John Eren were cleared by police, along with seven former MPs.
Another four retired MPs were not investigated in the eight-month probe.
The MPs, who had signed time sheets for their electorate officers, were investigated over potential offences including making false documents and obtaining property or financial advantage by deception.
Mr Patton said investigators “followed the ball, where the evidence took them”.
But they were unable to find evidence showing MPs intended to commit fraud offences.
“It’s one thing for the Ombudsman to make a finding in relation to standard of proof on the balance of probabilities,” he said. “As we all know, Victoria Police, we charge people, we investigate, we have to be satisfied there is sufficient evidence to charge and there wasn’t in this case. We lacked the prerequisite points of proof in relation to intent, in relation to knowledge.”
Mr Patton took the unusual step of naming the 16 MPs who were exonerated “in the public interest”.
He added that detectives did not seek interviews with Mr Andrews, Deputy Premier James Merlino or Police Minister Lisa Neville “due to the lack of evidence requiring them”.