Police must reopen probe into Labor’s rort, after ‘compelling’ new evidence, State Opposition says

VICTORIA Police are being asked to reopen their investigation into Labor’s $388,000 rorts-for-votes scheme following “compelling” new evidence released in the State Ombudsman’s report, according to the Victorian Opposition.

POLICE are being urged to reopen the investigation into Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme following “compelling” new evidence released in the State Ombudsman’s report.

Coalition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue has written a letter to the Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton “to express surprise and concern” the matter had not be revisited and called for police to reopen the case.

“With such compelling and new evidence presented by the Ombudsman’s report, the Opposition believe there is sufficient new evidence for Victoria Police to reinvestigate,’’ said Mr O’Donohue.

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His request came after Mr Ashton ruled out plans to reconsider a criminal investigation into the scheme, while appearing before a state inquiry today.

Mr Ashton told the hearing the Police Minister Lisa Neville — who was in opposition and not the minister at the time — had been looked at as part of the police’s initial inquiries.

Victoria Police Minister Lisa Neville. Picture: Joe Castro

However, it was prior to the findings of Ombudsman Deborah Glass being released in March.

Her damning report found Labor’s scheme wrongly used $388,000 from parliamentary budgets to pay for campaign staff before the 2014 state election, implicating 21 Labor MPs.

It also confirmed Labor billed parliament $2358 on the false premise that an electorate officer was carrying out duties for Lara MP and current Sports Minister John Eren, when they were actually campaigning for Ms Neville in her Bellarine electorate.

The report highlighted MPs signed timesheets which did not accurately reflect the work of ALP staff posing as electorate officers.

Victorian Chief Police Commissioner Graham Ashton. Picture: Ellen Smith.

Edward O'Donohue has written a letter urging the matter to be reopened.

Despite the hearing being told there were concerns of “gaps of evidence” and questions over fraudulent behaviour, Mr Ashton remained adamant that although parliamentary rules had been broken it did not amount to illegal conduct.

“The role for police there, is whether the conduct meets the criminal threshold and the rules governing the behaviour are written in such a way that the test can’t be met,’’ he told the inquiry.

Commissioner Ashton also denied his chief of staff Brett Curran — who was the former chief of staff to Premier Daniel Andrews when he was in opposition — was consulted on the investigation.

Mr O’Donohue said the matter must be reopened “as a matter of urgency” and is awaiting an official response.

His letter also comes after top legal sources revealed they were baffled no criminal charges had resulted following the watchdog probe.

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