Victoria Police due to wrap up Labor ‘rorts-for-votes’ investigation this month

Victoria Police is nearing the end of its probe into Labor’s “rorts-for-votes” scheme, with fraud squad detectives expected to soon decide whether criminal charges will be laid against the political scandal’s architects.

Fraud squad detectives are expected to decide within weeks whether they will lay criminal charges against the architects of Labor’s “rorts-for-votes” scheme.

The Herald Sun understands that Victoria Police is nearing the end of its probe — which started in July last year — over the misuse of almost $388,000 in taxpayers’ money during the 2014 state election campaign.

Deputy Commissioner Shane Patton announced in February that the Labor MPs involved in the scandal would not face charges.

But police have been continuing to probe the scheme’s architect, John Lenders, the former state treasurer, and his former adviser Jadon Mintern.

Premier Daniel Andrews with Labor volunteers. Picture: Julian Smith/AAP

Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton told 3AW last month that he had been “pressing the people” involved in the investigation.

“They’re telling me at this stage they’re working to the end of June,” he said.

“We should have something … next month hopefully a bit more definitive.”

Mr Patton had said in February that police expected to finalise the probe within “a month or two months at the most”.

Mr Lenders and Mr Mintern are being investigating over potential offences including making false documents, obtaining property or financial advantage by deception, and conspiracy to defraud.

John Lenders at his Carnegie home. Picture: Nicole Garmston

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Ombudsman Deborah Glass had also investigated the scheme, and described the ­arrangement of hiring staff for political work as an “artifice” — a cunning device or trick — to milk more money for Labor’s campaigning.

Ms Glass’s report detailed how Mr Lenders described the 60:40 payment split between ALP and taxpayer resources, and how timesheets were partially done by Mr Mintern.

Labor eventually paid back the money that was misused.

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