Police investigation into Labor’s rorts-for-votes schemes ‘set up to fail’
Victoria Police has defended its detectives investigating Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme, saying they are working “without fear or favour” to resolve the case.
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Victoria Police has defended its detectives investigating Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme, saying they are working “without fear or favour” to resolve the case.
After allegations of internal interference in the red shirts probe, the force told the Herald Sun tonight it was “doing everything we can to make sure we get this right”.
“We understand the strong public interest and would assure the community that our detectives are working tirelessly, without fear or favour, to establish the facts, following their normal processes and procedures,” Victoria Police spokesman Charlie Morton said.
Fairfax reported today the Operation Ocotillo probe into the rort — in which almost $388,000 of taxpayers’ money was paid to Labor campaigners during the 2014 election — had been “set up to fail”.
It reported high-ranking police officers have repeatedly interfered in the investigation into the red shirts affair, which saw almost $388,000 of taxpayers’ money used to pay Labor campaigners during the 2014 state election.
According to Fairfax, investigators were told not to arrest ex-Labor treasurer John Lenders, who was the architect of the scheme for hiring and part-paying campaigners as electorate officers.
Mr Morton said the investigating officers were “absolutely committed to delivering the right outcomes” and “we reject any suggestions of political interference”.
Police Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton said this morning he was not aware of any direction not to arrest MPs.
“Not that I’m aware. I certainly didn’t issue any directions,” he told 3AW’s Neil Mitchell.
Mr Ashton denied there had been political interference in the matter.
“From my side of things there’s been no political push, there’s been no pressure certainly from me to do anything different,” he said.
“There hasn’t been any political interference in the case ... certainly not from where I’m sitting.
“There’s been no, certainly no instructions or pressure coming from me. No politician’s certainly attempted to put me under pressure from it.”
While Mr Ashton has said a decision on whether to lay charges was likely before the election, this now looks unlikely before Saturday’s poll.
“It’s not in my hands at the minute. So as soon as they get back to us we’ll … we’ll do it straight away as soon as we know,” he said this week.
Mr Ashton said today he would seek “reassurance” on whether there had been complaints of interference, and he would request an internal investigation if any had been made.
A police spokesman later confirmed no complaints had been made.
The Fairfax report claims police have not obtained warrants to search mobile phone records or computers from Labor MPs involved in the scheme.
Fairfax also claims detectives have not been able to access nearly 90,000 documents from the Victorian Ombudsman’s damning investigation of the rorts-for-votes scheme.
Insiders now believe the matter will be referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission, Fairfax reported.
Shadow attorney-general John Pesutto said an independent judicial inquiry was needed into the “alarming” allegations, and Victorians “urgently need to know who may have hindered the police investigation”.
“In this whole rotten saga, the cover-up has become worse than the original $400,000 rort,” he said.
Premier Daniel Andrews said police insiders concerned about interference were “free to avail themselves” of what he described as the nation’s best police integrity system.
“I’ve not seen any evidence, I don’t think any of us have seen any evidence, to support those claims. That’s a completely hypothetical, notional matter,” he said.
Mr Ashton told 3AW about 20 people were being probed. Briefs of evidence on some had been given to the Office of Public Prosecutions, with more to be finalised.
Mr Ashton refused to comment on claims that officers were told not to arrest the scheme mastermind, former Labor treasurer John Lenders.
The Opposition has promised a judicial inquiry into the red shirts rort — which was revealed by the Herald Sun three years ago — and the Coalition is expected to seize on today’s revelations to bolster its push for an independent probe of political interference in the case.
Shadow Attorney-General John Pesutto said this morning: “Allegations that the police investigation into Labor’s red shirts has been undermined from within are alarming and support our plan for a judicial inquiry.”
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“Two days out from election day, Victorians urgently need to know who may have hindered the police investigation, including from within the Andrews Labor Government, because that itself could have involved further criminal offences,” he said.
“In this whole rotten saga the cover up has become worse than the original $400,000 rort.”
Mr Lenders dodged questions today, closing the door of his family home when asked for his response to the latest revelations.
Former police chief commissioner Kel Glare said the affair was descending into a farce.
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