Rita Panahi: Andrews crash scandal threatens to undermine trust in justice system

It’s almost impossible to look at the numerous serious breaches detailed in Dan and Catherine Andrews’ car crash without concluding that a plan was executed to subvert the law and minimise scrutiny for the pair.

The deepening scandal engulfing former premier Daniel Andrews and Victoria Police threatens to further undermine the public’s trust in the Victorian justice system.

The explosive conclusions of the 36-page report, from former Assistant Commissioner for Traffic and Operations Raymond Shuey, details a sophisticated “overt cover-up” by VicPol to protect a prominent politician after the car he was travelling in crashed into a teenage cyclist, Ryan Meuleman.

It’s almost impossible to look at the numerous serious breaches detailed in the report without concluding that a plan was executed to subvert the law and to minimise any scrutiny or adverse consequences for Daniel and Catherine Andrews.

One cannot assume gross incompetence is behind the many inexcusable breaches of standard police operating procedures, such as failing to breathalyse the driver, when those failures are compounded by “deceptive and misleading” conduct in falsely claiming a breath test was conducted and was negative.

The explosive conclusions of the 36-page report detail a sophisticated ‘overt cover-up’. Picture: David Crosling

There must be a resolution to this saga that restores the public’s faith in the police force and that can only come if there is clarity around precisely what happened and at whose behest.

This scandal is so deep and consequential that it calls for an extraordinary response.

Police officers involved in any wrongdoing should be granted full immunity to blow the whistle on this sorry episode.

The Victorian Director of Public Prosecutions Kerri Judd, who was appointed by the Andrews government in 2018, has the power to grant that immunity and owes it to the Victorian public to do everything in her power to establish precisely what happened in this case.

Among those who may be able to illuminate who did what is a senior constable who appears to have gone to great lengths to take charge of the accident scene.

Why did she falsely claim to be closer to the crash site than the unit that had already been allocated the case and why did she then take six and half minutes to leave the station.

Who did she speak to during those critical minutes?

Ryan Meuleman’s family, who commissioned Dr Shuey’s report, deserve great credit for fighting to uncover the truth. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Ryan Meuleman’s family, who commissioned Dr Shuey’s report, deserve great credit for fighting to uncover the truth.

Ryan’s father Peter Meuleman told me he knows the Andrews camp can outspend him but he’ll keep fighting.

“This is a really expensive legal exercise, we are a humble family from humble means,” he said. “We just want clarity, closure and justice.”

Victorians want the same.

We want to be able to trust our police and know that they are not complicit in breaking laws to protect the rich and powerful.