Andews Government to spend $88m in wake of Lawyer X scandal

The Andrews Government will spend almost $88m to fix some of the catastrophic failings of Victoria Police’s secret use of barrister Nicola Gobbo.

The Andrews government will spend almost $88m to fix some of the catastrophic failings of Victoria Police’s secret use of barrister Nicola Gobbo.

Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes announced the spend in the government’s response to the Lawyer X royal commission’s final report, which made 111 recommendations. The government has already appointed Sir David Carruthers to oversee implementation of the recommendations.

Ms Symes is also set to appoint a special investigator mid-year to probe whether any criminal conduct occurred in the improper use of Gobbo as a police informer.

The government has begun identifying candidates for the role. It has also announced it will make a ‘’significant investment’’ to the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC), which gets almost $5m extra as part of this allocation.

Nicola Gobbo.

Extra funding is also expected in the next state budget.

The courts will also get a cash injection as part of the $87.9m package.

The plan seeks to implement the commission’s 54 recommendations directed to government as well as address a further 57 recommendations for other bodies such as Victoria Police and the Victorian Bar.

Ms Symes said the government was committed to getting to the bottom of the matter.

“The commission made serious and significant findings – getting to the bottom of matters that go to the heart of our criminal justice system. We will act on each and every one of them,” she said.

Jaclyn Symes

Victoria Police, in its response to the royal commission findings, said Gobbo’s use was a “profound interference with the relationship between lawyer and client’’.

“The consequences of that failing are resonating through the criminal justice system and will do so for many years,’’ Victoria Police said in the final report.

“It has come at a very high cost to the organisation, public confidence and to the criminal justice system.’’

The Attorney-General will report annually to the Victorian parliament on the implementation of the recommendations until complete.