Red shirts scandal reaches final days

A decision on whether to lay charges over Labor’s “red shirts” scandal is now imminent, with fraud squad detectives finished their briefs of evidence.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews seen alongside Labor Party supporters wearing red shirts in 2018. Picture: AAP Image/Julian Smith

Fraud squad detectives have finalised briefs of evidence against two Labor figures involved in the “red shirts” scandal.

The Sunday Herald Sun can reveal the briefs were given to the Office of Public Prosecutions this week, with a decision on whether to lay charges now imminent.

John Lenders is understood to be one of those the OPP recommended police continue examining. Picture: Nicole Garmston

In February, Victoria Police decided not to pursue charges against 16 Labor MPs who were involved in the scheme, which saw $388,000 of taxpayers’ money used to part-pay political campaigners during the 2014 state election.

But the OPP recommended at the time that police continued probing two individuals - understood to be ex-Labor treasurer John Lenders and his former adviser Jadon Mintern - after spending four months reviewing briefs of evidence on three people.

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Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said last month that the fraud squad’s investigation - which started in July last year - was in its “concluding stages”.

“It seems to go on a long time,” he said, adding it was not a “black and white” case.

A Victoria Police spokeswoman said this afternoon that the force “can confirm that briefs of evidence have been submitted to the OPP for consideration as part of Operation Ocotillo”.