Police chief Graham Ashton risks wrath of Libs with ALP pick

Victoria’s police chief has angered the Coalition by hiring the former right-hand man to Premier Daniel Andrews.

Victoria Police Commissioner Graham Ashton has got the Coalition offside with the appointment of a chief of staff linked to Labor. Picture: Mike Keating.

Victoria Police chief Graham Ashton has effectively destroyed his relationship with the state ­Coalition by hiring the former right-hand man to Labor Premier Daniel Andrews as his permanent chief of staff.

Brett Curran was Mr Andrews’ most senior adviser in opposition and ran the office of a senior minister in the previous Labor government. But Mr Ashton has ignored a backlash from Liberals and ­Nationals and hired Mr Curran as his chief of staff, despite a key part of his job being to act as an intermediary between political figures and the Chief Commissioner.

It is the first time in recent memory that a former political ­operative of Mr Curran’s standing has been handed the role, making it problematic for the ­Coalition to deal with Mr Ashton’s office.

Coalition police spokesman Edward O’Donohue yesterday blasted the appointment, declaring that it “beggars belief’’ that the force could not find a politically ­independent person.

“To retain public confidence it is critical that the Chief Commissioner ... is not only independent but is seen to be independent,’’ he said. “By ­appointing Daniel Andrews’ former chief of staff as his chief of staff, the Chief Commissioner has put that public confid­ence at serious risk.

“It beggars belief that from among more than 13,000 sworn members, no one else suitable for this powerful and important position could be found.’’

The job description states that Mr Ashton’s chief of staff is a contact person for ministerial inter­action and liaison with police and must ensure there is a focus on liais­ing with the Victorian government and departments.

Mr Curran was a career policeman before he became chief of staff to a former senior minister in the previous state Labor government and was mooted as a future ALP candidate.

After Labor lost the 2010 state election he was appointed chief of staff to opposition leader Daniel Andrews, but returned to Victoria Police not long before the 2014 election, which saw Mr Andrews become premier of Victoria.

Coalition MPs are likely to boycott dealings with Mr Curran.

It is understood that Mr Ashton was not involved in the formal selection process but he has ultim­ate veto over appointments.

“Commander Curran was ­appointed on the basis of his skills acquired throughout a diverse ­policing career, which included a period working as a deputy chief of staff and chief of staff in the office of the Chief Commissioner,’’ a spokesman said. “The Chief Commissioner has been very happy with Commander Curran’s performance in the role to date and is entirely satisfied that he will continue to conduct himself with ­impartiality.’’

The Australian revealed in ­October that Mr Curran had been made acting chief of staff by Mr Ashton, sparking a backlash from the Coalition. At the time, Mr Ashton played down the influence of his chief of staff but the position has often led to promotion within the force, including elevation to the chief commissioner’s role.

The political implications of the decision are broad, coming after years of rebuilding the force following the controversial reign of former police chief Simon Overland, who fell out bitterly with the Coalition before quitting in 2011.

By appointing Mr Curran, Mr Ashton faces the real threat of being a political target at the 2018 election, although the Coalition will be keen not to undermine the force, which is seen as a traditional conservative constituency.

Mr Ashton said last year that Mr Curran was no longer an ALP member, and that the position was “not a Peta Credlin-type role”.