DPS boss Peter Lochert refutes evidence from rorts-for-votes mastermind John Lenders

A KEY parliamentary figure has contradicted evidence given by the mastermind of Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme, John Lenders, at an upper house inquiry.

A KEY parliamentary figure has contradicted evidence given by the mastermind of Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme, John Lenders, at an upper house inquiry.

Mr Lenders told the Legislative Council Privileges Committee last month that he had “workshopped” the arrangement with parliamentary services.

The former treasurer said he met with the head of the Department of Parliamentary Services, Peter Lochert, and spoke to other DPS staff about how to expand “pool” arrangements to share staff allocations.

LABOR’S RED SHIRT CAMPAIGNERS SLAM RORT RAIDS

ANDREWS SILENT ON RORTS-FOR-VOTES DAWN RAIDS

LABOR RORTS FOR VOTES EXPOSED: HOW IT HAPPENED

Victorian Department of Parliamentary Services secretary Peter Lochert. Picture: Ian Currie

“We even workshopped how this could be done, and I acted on that basis,” Mr Lenders said on July 19.

But Mr Lochert today told the inquiry: “I wouldn’t agree with that.”

Mr Lochert read aloud to the inquiry an email from Mr Lenders to parliamentary services, dated January 10, 2014.

In the email, Mr Lenders asked about whether the party could “second staff beyond our basic entitlement of two to the office of the leader of the opposition for some of 2014”.

Mr Lochert said the response from the Department of Parliamentary Services “would have been no”.

“The resources are provided to members to assist members,” he said.

Mr Lochert said based on that request — which he said was different to the eventual rorts-for-votes scheme — he briefed parliament’s presiding officers, “highlighting risks”.

He also said that he did not recall a meeting with Mr Lenders, although “it doesn’t mean that it didn’t happen”.

“I would suggest that if there had been a workshop then I probably would have a better chance of remembering it,” he said.

Peter Lochert appears to have contradicted evidence provided by John Lenders regarding “work shopping” of pooling scheme changes #springst

— Matt Johnston (@Media_Matt) August 6, 2018

Mr Lochert said there was no evidence within DPS that Mr Lenders workshopped the scheme with other staff.

Asked whether there was any basis for Mr Lenders to claim the scheme had been workshopped, Lochert said: “not having worked (through) options”.

The Ombudsman found that the red shirts scheme siphoned almost $388,000 from taxpayer-funded parliamentary budgets to part-pay campaign staff ahead of the 2014 election.

The scheme is now been formally investigated by Victoria Police, who launched a series of co-ordinated dawn raids last week.

Former treasurer John Lender at the inquiry last month. Picture: Tony Gough

Former campaign staff were arrested and interviewed by the Fraud and Extortion Squad.

Mr Lochert confirmed to the inquiry that he had been contacted by the police and that his last contact with investigators was “this morning”.

He said his contact with police since a formal investigation was launched in late July had been “discussions”.

He said he had not provided police with any further documentation than what was handed over during an initial police assessment in late 2015, early 2016.

Lochert asked whether he’s been contacted by police investigating Labor’s rorts-for-votes: “Yes.”
Last contact? “This morning.”
Any more you can tell us? “No.”

— Monique Hore (@moniquehore) August 6, 2018

Police are focusing on employment records and timesheets for electorate office staff, who in fact campaigned for Labor.

It is understood police are considering whether timesheets, signed by MPs and the electorate officers to certify the hours worked, constitute creating a false document.

Upper House president Bruce Atkinson also appeared before the inquiry and was scathing of both the scheme and the 21 Labor MPs involved.

He said while MPs thought they were operating within the rules, based on party advice, each MP had “personal responsibility”.

“In my view there is absolutely no doubt that the flying squad scheme is without excuse or any redeeming feature and represented a clear, deliberate and deceptive misuse of parliament funds,” Mr Atkinson said.

Mr Atkinson also refuted the Ombudsman’s finding that the Members Guide, which sets out parliamentary rules for MPs to follow, was confusing and needed clarification.

“The problem with the Members Guide is that it’s like the instructions for a washing machine or something you bought from IKEA — you only go back to the instructions if it’s a disaster,” he said.

“People ought to read the instructions in the first place.

“The people who get employed in parliament as staffers and the Members of Parliament are pretty cluey people. That document actually does explain, in a way that is fairly clear, the responsibilities of members.”

The Opposition has repeatedly called for the six ministers involved in the scheme, including Attorney-General Martin Pakula, to stand down during the police investigation.

Mr Pakula said yesterday that those calls were “pre-election posturing”.

“If the police make inquiries, we will co-operate with them,” he said.

‘It’s got no relevance or bearing on my role as a minister.”

[e-mail]

@moniquehore

MORE ON THE INQUIRY INTO RORTS-FOR-VOTES:

PREMIER DIGS IN AS INQUIRY COMPLICATES POLL

LABOR MPS WERE BRIEFED ON RORTS-FOR-VOTES

LABOR RORTS MASTERMIND SNAPS: ‘GO TO SAUDI ARABIA’