Daniel Andrews praises ‘integrity’ of rort mastermind John Lenders

Daniel Andrews has lauded the mastermind of the Labor’s ‘red shirts’ rort that looted $388,000 from taxpayers as a man of the ‘highest integrity’.

Daniel Andrews and John Lenders.

Daniel Andrews has lauded the mastermind of the Labor’s “red shirts” rort that looted $388,000 from taxpayers as a man of the “highest integrity”.

The Victorian Premier’s comments came amid a fresh Ombudsman’s report, which found that while Mr Andrews was “involved and immersed” in the red shirts scandal there was no evidence he was aware of the rort that funded the campaigners during the 2014 election.

In the report, tabled in parliament on Thursday, the integrity watchdog found responsibility for the rip-off rested with the Premier’s then right-hand man, John Lenders. Ombudsman Deborah Glass stated the rort was the “brainchild” of the former Labor treasurer, who this week quit the Premier’s re-election committee.

Despite Mr Lenders being the subject of two critical reports by the watchdog, Mr Andrews threw his support behind his former colleague. “I believe John is a person of the highest integrity. That’s my experience with John and he’s made a decision (to quit the committee) and I respect that because I respect him,” the Premier said.

In her 31-page report, Ms Glass reiterated her 2018 findings that the rort was “wrong” but fell short of criminal or corrupt conduct, said no evidence was found linking the Premier to the rort and criticised police for arresting red shirts campaigners in dawn raids.

“There is no persuasive evidence the Premier designed, propagated or facilitated the scheme,” she states in her foreword. “Is there anything else to investigate? The short answer is no.”

Mr Andrews said red shirts had been “comprehensively” dealt with years ago. “Staff were engaged in (an) activity in error. Money was paid back. I’m not here to relitigate those issues.”

Opposition upper house leader David Davis – who called the scheme “crooked” and “shocking” – said it was a mistake not to “hold the Premier to account”. “He was in a position to stop this artifice … and he chose not to do so. I think sensible people will believe that the head of the government, the head of the Labor Party, in 2014, knew about this.”

The Ombudsman’s report stated: “The evidence showed that Mr Andrews was involved and immersed in the red shirts campaign in 2014, as he necessarily would have been as party leader.”

In Thursday’s report, Ms Glass says that given the evidence about Mr Lenders, which she says was confirmed by other MPs, she had “no reason” to question Mr Andrews about his knowledge of the scheme or rort.

Thursday’s report revealed that in 2017, in the midst of her initial investigation, the Ombudsman did seek evidence from the Premier about staffing arrangements within Labor, and he refused to comply, claiming her office had no authority over him.

In a statement, Victoria Police insisted it acted appropriately.