Motion introduced to parliament calls on Daniel Andrews to stand down until IBAC report is finalised

Former Labor minister Adem Somyurek has slammed the Premier in a scathing parliamentary attack, calling him “stupid” and demanding he stand aside.

Daniel Andrews has been accused of hypocrisy over his refusal to stand down over his involvement in two anti-corruption probes.

Former Labor minister Adem Somyurek on Wednesday unleashed a scathing parliamentary attack on the Premier, calling him “stupid” and demanding he stand aside.

“You’ve got a premier that’s got the watchdog with three separate corruption inquiries on him. It is about the optics,” he said.

“You can’t have a premier of a state be entangled in three separate corruption inquiries, it is a shocking look. He needs to stand aside.

“He needs to stand aside for the sake of his party too, he’s not the popular rockstar premier that he was, he’s a drag on the party.”

Mr Somyurek, who again levelled allegations of branch stacking at Mr Andrews, said the Premier sacked him after similar allegations were made against him in June 2020.

“He said to me that he can’t have me under an IBAC investigation and remain a minister of the crown,” he said.

Former Victorian Labor member now Independent, Adem Somyurek in Parliament. Picture: Ian Currie

“In fact, he said I can’t be a member of his team on the back page, in his caucus, and have an IBAC investigation on to me.

“I thought, fair enough, in politics it’s all about optics. There’s no national justice.

“When Dan told me that the optics of an IBAC investigation on me, looked bad, that he can’t sustain me in his cabinet or in his back bench, in the party, I say to Dan this ‘it’s about the optics, stupid’,” he said.

Mr Andrews has faced repeated calls to stand down since it was revealed he had been secretly grilled over his relationship with property developer John Woodman.

Mr Andrews testified in private as part of Operation Sandon which is probing allegedly corrupt land deals.

He also gave evidence at a private hearing as part of IBAC’s Operation Watts, which investigated claims of widespread corruption within the Victorian Labor party.

And questions remain over whether or not he has been quizzed in a third probe investigating his government’s dealings with the United Firefighters Union.

A non-binding motion calling on the Premier to stand down was on Wednesday comprehensively beaten in the upper house.

Dan rubbishes ‘ridiculous’ stand-down motion

Daniel Andrews says a motion launched in parliament by the state opposition is “ridiculous politics”.

Leader of the opposition in the upper house David Davis said the Premier must stand down from all official responsibilities until the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission’s report into dodgy deals at Casey Council – otherwise known as Operation Sandon – has been tabled in parliament.

The Premier rubbished the call as a cheap opportunity from the Liberal party.

Mr Andrews has repeatedly refused to comment on matters relating to IBAC, including as to whether he’s been called to front the stand in private.

“It’s ridiculous politics. Again, it’s all those people offer,” he said on Wednesday.

“It doesn’t work. It sets us up for nothing. It’s just about them.

“The only people these people work for are themselves, and Victoria is not stronger because of that.”

A motion has been launched in parliament calling for Daniel Andrews to stand down as premier. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes, who is also the leader of the government in the upper house, said she hadn’t yet spoken to the crossbench to determine how they would vote on the motion.

But she said the proposal was “so ridiculous” that she believed it would get voted down.

“Asking someone to stand down for talking to anybody is ridiculous,” Ms Symes said.

“I’m not going to comment on who appears or doesn’t appear before the IBAC, but to suggest that anybody that is called to give evidence, whether it’s for allegations against themselves or someone else, is preposterous to suggest that the person should stand aside until a report is tabled.

“It’s a nonsense political stunt that hopefully will be defeated in the House today … I actually think this is so ridiculous that it will get voted down.”

The motion also requests that the Premier does not participate in any executive or administrative decision making during this time.

Attorney General Jaclyn Symes has labelled the proposal ‘ridiculous’. Picture: Luis Enrique Ascui

Mr Davis, who introduced the motion, said the community wanted “integrity to be beyond question”.

“Labor don’t seem to understand that somebody in a senior ministerial position under investigation or dragged to secret hearings at the corruption commission must, until cleared, have a cloud over them,” Mr Davis said.

“The Premier won’t come clean on the details of his corruption commission visit and in those circumstances, the community can only conclude that he should stand aside until the matter is tabled in parliament.”

It comes after revelations Mr Andrews was secretly grilled in the anti-corruption probe, reportedly quizzed over his association with property developer John Woodman.

Mr Woodman is under investigation for allegedly corrupt land deals.

Mr Davis claimed the government was trying to shut down questions on the matter.

“What do they have to hide,” he said.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy last week also called on the Premier to stand down.

A government spokeswoman declined to comment on the introduction of the motion.

“The government will not comment on an active IBAC investigation,” she said.

The motion will be debated and voted on in parliament on Wednesday.

Outsider to probe claims of public service cronyism

A former Commonwealth and NSW ombudsman has been appointed to investigate allegations Victoria’s public service has been stacked with government cronies.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass has announced the appointment of John McMillan to lead the probe, sparked by a parliamentary referral spearheaded by former Minister Adem Somyurek.

“Professor McMillan has held a number of senior integrity positions, including Commonwealth Ombudsman,” Ms Glass said.

Former NSW Ombudsman Professor John McMillan. Picture: David Moir.

“He has never worked in Victoria and brings an open mind to the issues under investigation.”

As revealed by the Herald Sun last month Ms Glass launched the investigation amid concerns about the politicisation of the public service raised by several MPs.

She also renewed calls for a new independent body to be set up to investigate allegations of wrongdoing against MPs saying the current framework is insufficient.

The parliamentary referral asked Ms Glass to launch an investigation, as well as a series of other probes into matters including the ALP’s notorious red shirts election rort.

In a statement issued on Tuesday Ms Glass said the Red Shirts matter and Operation Watts, probing branch stacking inside the ALP, would be dealt with under part one of her investigation.

Other matters, including concerns about the politicisation of the public service, would make up a second part.

Ms Glass said she would take submissions until July 15.

“We are keen to hear from people who believe they have experienced the impact of politicisation – or otherwise – of the public service,” she said.

“This includes allegations of politicisation of appointments in the public sector and its impact.”

She told the Herald Sun last month that while the red shirts affair had already been investigated, the politicisation of the public service warranted careful attention.

“I think it is very interesting that parliament has asked me to investigate the politicisation of the public service.

“I listened to the debate quite carefully when the motion was being debated.

“And it was clear that for the crossbenchers in particular, who voted for it, that was key to them supporting the motion.”