Premier Daniel Andrews rejected invitation to speak to Ombudsman about rorts-for-votes scheme

VICTORIA Police is days away from deciding whether to launch a formal investigation into Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme.

VICTORIA Police is days away from deciding whether to launch a formal investigation into Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme.

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said the force was currently assessing evidence and a decision was “imminent” on whether to launch a full investigation. RORTS-FOR-VOTES MASTERMIND RETAINS CONTROL TIME FOR LABOR MPS TO TELL ALL ON RORTS-FOR-VOTES SCANDAL PREMIER SORRY FOR $388K ELECTION CHEAT Mr Ashton said he had requested a “full assessment” be made of the Ombudsman’s report and any other evidence. Ombudsman Deborah Glass found in March that 21 current and former Labor MPs misused almost $388,00 of taxpayer money. Mr Ashton told a parliamentary inquiry today that he would soon write to the Ombudsman to request “further materials which she may or may not have”. “For us, there will be a point during that assessment where a decision will be taken as to whether this is an assessment or whether it will become a formal, full investigation for Victoria Police,” Mr Ashton said. “My advice from crime command is that a decision relating to whether this matter will become a full investigation is imminent. I’m expecting to know within the next few days whether that will be the case or not.” Mr Ashton said an investigation “could take a number of months”, as officers comb through the Ombudsman’s large amount of evidence and compare it with their own. He told the inquiry that the possibility of a formal investigation would limit the evidence he provided today. But he said he would co-operate as much as possible, given the inquiry’s “important” purpose. “It is possible that a full investigation of this matter may ensue,” he said. “In order not to prejudice any ongoing investigation there will be a number of questions I’ll be reluctant to answer.” Victoria Police’s fresh assessment was prompted by complaints last month by Opposition Leader Matthew Guy and Liberal MP Ed O’Donohue. They requested the case be re-examined in light of the Ombudsman’s report. As part of the assessment, police are considering whether filling out blank timesheets, as it is alleged some MPs did, would constitute a criminal offence. Mr Ashton declined to comment on specific questions about the timesheets. “I think it would be imprudent of me to deal with the specificity of timesheets,” he said. In 2015 and 2016, police completed a “triage” of evidence — in an operation dubbed Operation Peach — and concluded a criminal offence had not been committed. “It was a combination of working with other external agencies, as well as assessing all the material that was on hand relating to the campaign,” Assistant Commissioner Stephen Fontana said. Police considered whether offences including misconduct in public office, false accounting, conspiracy to cheat and dishonesty had been committed. Investigators spoke to a number of electoral officers and staff in parliamentary services at the time. Mr Fontana said that up to 25 electoral officers were “approached” to speak to police but only eight agreed. “We can’t compel witnesses to speak to us,” he said. Mr Fontana also confirmed that one member of parliament — now a former MP — was also spoken to at the time. PREMIER Daniel Andrews rejected an invitation to speak to Ombudsman Deborah Glass about Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme and instead nominated retired MP John Lenders to answer questions. Ms Glass this morning told an upper house inquiry that she would table the Premier’s letter responding to her request for information, which she sought because he was Labor leader in 2014 when the scheme operated. Ms Glass was investigating allegations that Labor MPs hired casual electorate staff paid for by taxpayers but who actually campaigned for the ALP in marginal seats during the 2014 election campaign. This morning, Ms Glass said the Premier outlined an argument that because her probe came from a motion in the parliament’s upper house, he could not provide information as he was a lower house MP and “exclusive cognisance” applied. “I think that motion gives rise to some complexities as to how I can most permissibly and helpfully respond to your invitation,” Mr Andrews told the Ombudsman in his letter rejecting her invitation to be interviewed. Ms Glass said she disagreed with the legal basis for that argument, but had decided that enough time had been wasted during court proceedings already so did not waste more time testing her belief. In Mr Andrews’ written response to the Ombudsman — read aloud at the inquiry — he recommended that former treasurer, John Lenders, instead “respond”. “I would suggest that the most productive course would be for John Lenders to respond to the matters raised in your correspondence,” Mr Andrews’ letter said. “Mr Lenders was both the leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council at the relevant time and has substantial experience regarding the administration of Parliament.” Ms Glass said it was her understanding that Mr Lenders would effectively answer questions on behalf of the ALP and Mr Andrews. The Ombudsman also told the inquiry this morning that the scheme was Mr Lenders’ “brainchild”. Under the scheme, newly-hired field organisers would be stationed at MPs’ offices in marginal seats campaigning for three days a week paid for by the ALP. The other two days — or 40 per cent — they were paid as electorate officers, with the tab being picked up by the Victorian taxpayer. But they also campaigned for Labor Party purposes on those days. Asked by Labor MP Jaclyn Symes whether she thought MPs wilfully set out to breach the parliamentary members’ guide, Ms Glass said: “I have no evidence they did”. Ms Glass said MPs probably believed the scheme outlined to them by Mr Lenders was above board because of his stature as party elder and former treasurer. “I have no evidence that those individuals (the MPs) set out to deceive,” she said. Today’s hearings are now complete. The architect of the scheme, former treasurer John Lenders, will be grilled at the inquiry tomorrow. Labor MPs Nazih Elasmar, Adem Somyurek and Jenny Mikakos will also appear. The government’s leader in the upper house, Gavin Jennings, will front the inquiry next week. [e-mail] @Media_Matt