Labor MPs will not be interviewed by questionnaire, police chief says

POLICE chief commissioner Graham Ashton has confirmed Labor MPs will not be interviewed by questionnaire over the reds shirts rorts scandal.

Daniel Andrews with some campaign volunteers before the 2014 election.

VICTORIA Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton has confirmed Labor MPs will not be interviewed by questionnaire over the reds shirts rorts scandal.

There had been a flurry of recent reports that police would provide Labor MPs involved in the rorts for votes scandal with questionnaires that they would send back to fraud squad investigators.

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But Mr Ashton quashed that suggestion today.

“I don’t know where it originally started from but I did check when I heard that and was assured that that’s not happening,’’ he said on ABC radio.

Victoria Police chief commissioner Graham Ashton. Picture: Aaron Francis

The Opposition referred the 2014 red shirts scandal to police for a second time this year after a bombshell report from the Ombudsman found that 21 current and former ALP MPs misused almost $388,000 of taxpayer money by employing staff who were then used for campaigning instead.

Mr Ashton would not confirm if any former or sitting MPs had been interviewed over the scheme.

In response, the government referred Opposition Leader Matthew Guy’s conduct in the Ventnor planning debacle to police.

As Planning Minister Mr Guy presided over a botched rezoning which forced the government to pay millions of taxpayer dollars in a settlement.

The government said Mr Guy may have engaged in misconduct in public office.

Mr Ashton said that referral was still in the assessment stage.

He said this November’s election would have no bearing on police proceeded in either matter.

“My instructions has always been on those matters that they continue like any other matter and the election timing’s not something that’s taken into account so they’ll take as long as they need to take like any other investigation actually.

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