Andrews non-committal on giving IBAC evidence

Victoria’s corruption watchdog has lifted a gag order which previously prevented witnesses discussing its probe into the Andrews government’s dealings with the UFU.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

Daniel Andrews has repeatedly refused to say whether he has been interviewed by Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog as part of its investigation into his government’s dealings with the United Firefighters Union.

The Victorian Premier’s refusal to give a yes or no answer to the question of whether he gave evidence as part of IBAC’s Operation Richmond comes despite the agency writing to witnesses this week to tell them it will not be reissuing gag orders that had previously prevented them dis­cussing the investigation, leaving them free to publicly comment.

“If you want to know who IBAC has spoken to and what they’ve spoken to people about, any of their business, then you need to go and speak to them,” Mr Andrews said.

Pressed on why he was still refusing to comment despite witnesses receiving letters advising them that gag orders were no longer in place, Mr Andrews said: “I’m not disputing what was just put to me a moment ago about letters going out … I’ve seen that reported in the paper, so of course, it’s accurate.”

Mr Andrews said he did not know whether he or his office had received a letter from IBAC.

“I may have been sent a letter. I don’t know. I’m not here to confirm that.

“Again, if you want to know if a letter was sent to me by anybody, someone doesn’t necessarily come and hand it to me personally,” he said.

Opposition emergency services spokesman Brad Battin said the Premier needed to stop “hiding behind a veil of secrecy” and “come clean” over his government’s dealings with the UFU.