Porn claims add to Victorian Coalition government woes

ALLEGATIONS that pornography was distributed widely within the office of former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu will be referred to police.

ALLEGATIONS that pornography was distributed widely within the office of former Victorian premier Ted Baillieu will be referred to police.

Victorian Premier Denis Napthine yesterday blasted as ­“absurd’’ claims by the government’s former freedom of information adviser that MPs and Coalition advisers had exchanged hardcore pornography.

Labor, however, will write to Victorian and federal police demanding the allegations be fully investigated.

Former adviser Don Coulson, 59, yesterday alleged he circulated memory sticks containing pornography to Liberal Party colleagues, including a minister, other MPs and fellow staffers. Mr Coulson, sacked over unrelated ­issues on March 14 last year, eight days after Dr Napthine became Premier, is suing the government in the County Court for wrongful dismissal, seeking $67,000.

The government is counter­suing, seeking almost $31,000 in severance pay on the basis that Mr Coulson was found after his dismissal to have stored a “considerable amount” of pornographic material in his office. Mr Coulson has admitted to having the pornography but denied he used government equipment to download it, in breach of public service guidelines.

The government also alleges Mr Coulson accessed the pornography while at work — an ­accusation he disputes.

Dr Napthine described the ­allegations as “bizarre” and said although the pornography discovered in Mr Coulson’s office was “`inappropriate’’, an audit by the government’s legal team had deemed it legal.

“These claims are absolutely bizarre, absolutely absurd,’’ Dr Napthine said.

“Mr Coulson is a disaffected, sacked former employee.”

The Premier said he had no evidence the pornography had been shared.

In a letter to Victoria Police and the AFP, opposition legal affairs spokesman Martin Pakula requested an investigation into Mr Coulson’s allegation “that his ­office was used as a drop-off point for memory sticks containing videos and images described as ‘hard-core’,” and lent to Coalition MPs, advisers and ministers.

It is understood the gov­ern­ment legal team’s audit revealed the pornography contained ­bestiality-related material.

Court documents reveal that in 2001 Mr Coulson was dismissed from his public service job with the Department of Transport for using his office resources to download a large amount of pornography during work hours.

The Coulson claims are embarrassing for the government on the final day of parliament before the November 29 election.

The day was meant to have been dominated by the farewell of a string of retiring MPs, including former premier Mr Baillieu.

Deputy Labor leader James Merlino said the accusations could not be more serious for the government.

“These are allegations of a minister of this government, Liberal MPs and members of the Premier’s private staff being involved in a vile and organised pornographic ring,’’ he said.

“Denis Napthine cannot sweep this under the carpet — we need a full and frank explanation from the Premier.’’