Report into allegations Adem Somyurek threatened, intimidated staff due

UPDATE: SMALL Business Minister Adem Somyurek has arrived at the Premier’s office for a meeting at which he is expected to discover if he will be sacked or returned to cabinet.

Cesar Melham at Parliament

SMALL Business Minister Adem Somyurek has arrived at the Premier’s office for a meeting at which he is expected to discover if he will be sacked or returned to cabinet.

Mr Somyruek was stood down in May after his chief of staff Dimity Paul made allegations of threatening behaviour against him. Mr Somyurek denies the claims.

The premier has been mulling over two reports into Mr Somyurek, the most contentious, one by former OPI boss Michael Strong.

As he arrived at 1 Treasury Place for the do-or-die meeting Mr Somyurek told News Corp he maintained his innocence: “absolutely, I do.”

A separate inquiry by former Public Sector Standards commissioner Peter Allen is looking at the operations of Mr Somyurek’s office.

Earlier this month, Mr Andrews pledged: “The report will be released, be in no doubt about that”.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said it had been months since the complaints were made and it was time for a resolution.

“Daniel Andrews said the report into his Minister, Mr Somyurek, would be weeks not months,” he said.
“Well it’s now been months and it is time that we got a clear time frame from the Government as to whether or not we still have a minister in Adem Somyurek, what the capabilities are around his office and the review the Premier has put in place on those capabilities.”

“Victorians need to know whether one of our 23 cabinet ministers is in limbo or is actually doing the job that the Premier has asked them to do.”