Victorian bureaucrats referred to corruption watchdog over Andrews ads

Bureaucrats who signed off on taxpayer-funded anti-federal government ads have been referred to IBAC.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews announced he would spend more than a million dollars of public money on the “Our Fair Share” campaign in the lead-up to federal election.

Victoria’s opposition has referred four senior public servants to the state’s corruption watchdog after they signed off on the Andrews government’s taxpayer-funded advertising campaign which accuses the federal government of cutting health and education funding.

Premier Daniel Andrews visited the Royal Children’s Hospital on Sunday to announce that he would be spending more than a million dollars of public money on the “Our Fair Share” TV, radio, print and online campaign, running in the lead-up to the May 18 federal election, arguing it was his job to fight for funding for Victorian patients and students.

The federal Coalition hit back at Mr Andrews’ claim that they had cut hospital funding by $305m, arguing commonwealth funding for Victorian public hospitals has risen by 79.7 per cent since 2012-13.

Today, Victorian Opposition Leader Michael O’Brien announced he would be referring Victorian Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kym Peake, Department of Education Secretary Jenny Atta, Department of Treasury & Finance Secretary David Martine, and Department of Premier & Cabinet Secretary Chris Eccles to the independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission.

“These four departmental secretaries on behalf of the Andrews Labor government are responsible for authorising the expenditure of Victorian taxpayers’ money on an advertising campaign designed or intended to influence public sentiment against the current government of the commonwealth,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Under Section 97C (a) (v) of the Public Administration Act a public sector body that publishes or causes to be published a public sector communication must ensure that the public sector communication is not designed or intended to directly or indirectly influence public sentiment for or against the current government of the commonwealth.

“Victorians deserve an apolitical and independent public service. They don’t deserve a campaigning arm of the Labor Party, yet that’s what Daniel Andrews has turned the Victorian public service into.”

Opposition treasury spokeswoman Louise Staley said she would also be referring the matter to the state’s Auditor-General to examine whether it was appropriate for taxpayers to fund the ad campaign.

“There are many ways in which this campaign by Daniel Andrews and his government to campaign for Bill Shorten is in breach, and we will be pursuing all of them,” Ms Staley said.

A spokesman for Mr Andrews referred The Australian to responses given by Victorian Attorney-General Jill Hennessy, who was asked at a press conference whether she was confident IBAC would exonerate the departmental heads.

“I’m confident that the Victorian opposition don’t like the Victorian government standing up for Victoria, and that’s exactly what those ads do,” Ms Hennessy said.

“I’ll let other agencies deal with these matters as they see fit, but I do think it’s very curious that Michael O’Brien finds it such a threatening thing that the Victorian government would stand up for more funding for Victoria, particularly when it comes to health and education.”

Victorian Opposition leader Michael O'Brien has referred four senior public servants to the Victoria’s corruption watchdog after they signed off on the Andrews government’s taxpayer-funded advertising campaign. Picture: David Crosling/AAP