Adem Somyurek scandal shows Victorians deserve better than its scandal-ridden government
While the Premier may claim he knew nothing of the allegations against disgraced Adem Somyurek, it doesn’t change the fact that there is something rotten at the heart of the government he leads in Victoria.
VIC News
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Another year, another corruption investigation into Daniel Andrews’ government.
This time, the Premier has ordered it himself, calling in Victoria Police and the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission on his` now-former minister Adem Somyurek.
Andrews was visibly shocked and angry on Monday as he blasted out the Labor powerbroker.
He said he knew nothing about the allegations against Somyurek until 60 Minutes went to air on Sunday night. That may well be true — but it doesn’t change the fact that there is something rotten at the heart of the government and the party Andrews leads in Victoria.
Labor won the 2014 election off the back of a scheme which rorted $388,000 from taxpayers to part-pay their red-shirted election campaigners.
Ombudsman Deborah Glass — in the face of Andrews’ efforts to block her investigation — found it “crossed the line” and was “wrong”.
Labor figures have also been embroiled in an IBAC probe for the “cash-for-stacks” allegations that parliament was billed for, with false invoices for printing work that was never done. The money was instead used to pay for party memberships.
These rorts would not have come to light without the Herald Sun.
Ex-speaker Telmo Languiller and his deputy Don Nardella were the subject of a separate police inquiry, after they were caught out claiming $130,000 in taxpayer-funded allowances to live by the seaside instead of in their western suburbs electorates.
IBAC has also been having a close look at the relationship between the Andrews Government and the United Firefighters Union, the result of years of controversy over industrial deals for the state’s fire services.
Andrews didn’t need a police investigation to jettison Steve Herbert from Cabinet when the Herald Sun revealed he used his taxpayer-funded driver to chauffeur his dogs across the state.
But he did call in a former police integrity watchdog to end part one of Somyurek’s Cabinet career in 2015 over bullying allegations. That sent Somyurek to the backbench, where he marshalled Labor rivals to form an internal power bloc which gained extraordinary influence.
Andrews doesn’t like to admit when he’s wrong. He came close on Monday, when asked about his decision to bring Somyurek back to Cabinet in 2018.
“I’m not going to pretend I can get a do-over on that,” he said.
Those close to Andrews argue he didn’t have much of a choice; Somyurek’s factional power meant the Cabinet spot was his if he wanted it. But Andrews is the leader, and he is — or he should be — responsible for the actions of his MPs.
Labor’s thumping 2018 election victory emboldened senior party figures, who breathed a sigh of relief that they were not punished by voters for four years of scandal.
Andrews claims they were beltway issues and insists his government is “working hard every single day for the people of Victoria”.
The evidence keeps mounting up to the contrary. The people of Victoria deserve better.
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