Witnesses grilled about Daniel Andrews: IBAC probe

A top secret anti-corruption inquiry grilled witnesses about Daniel Andrews’ role in striking a controversial deal with union.

Daniel Andrews meets firefighters in 2014. Picture: Nathan Dyer

Witnesses in a top secret anti-corruption investigation into dealings between the Andrews government and the Victorian firefighters’ union were grilled by IBAC about the conduct of the Premier in key negotiations.

Sources familiar with the inquiry – codenamed Operation Richmond – have told The ­Australian that, during private examinations, witnesses were questioned about Daniel Andrews’ role in striking a workplace deal with the United Firefighters’ Union.

The sources said witnesses were quizzed about the conduct of Mr Andrews during the 2016 ­enterprise bargaining negotiations, which delivered generous terms and operational control over the Country Fire Authority to the UFU.

It’s understood legal action that was delaying the release of Operation Richmond has now ceased and IBAC is expected to release the report publicly early next year.

“IBAC is currently drafting the report on Operation Richmond,” an IBAC spokesperson said.

“In line with our usual ­process, IBAC will publicly ­release the report only after everyone to be named in the report is provided with reasonable opportunity to respond.

“IBAC cannot comment on any witness that may have been interviewed as part of this investigation.

“The legal action in relation to Operation Richmond has concluded.”

The Andrews government and Mr Marshall were approached for comment but did not respond prior to deadline.

The Australian can also reveal that a second IBAC probe involving the UFU is also continuing under tight secrecy.

The operation is believed to focus on the leaking of sensitive information from within the Metropolitan Fire Brigade.

The inquiry was launched after senior MFB managers ­suspected their emails and other communications were being hacked.

The 2016 negotiations between the Andrews government and the UFU erupted into a full-blown scandal after it emerged Mr Andrews sidelined his ­emergency services minister, Jane Garrett, to lead the talks ­including personally meeting with UFU state secretary Peter Marshall.

Despite opposition within his own government to the generous workplace deal, Mr Andrews pushed it through, prompting the resignation of Ms Garrett amid speculation it was payback for union support during the 2014 state election, when Labor regained power.

Mr Andrews and IBAC have refused to confirm or deny that he was privately examined as part of Operation Richmond, but the revelation that witnesses were grilled about his conduct will intensify speculation that he did make a secret appearance in the IBAC hearing.

Operation Richmond is the fourth anti-corruption investigation to touch on the conduct of Mr Andrews.

The Premier has been questioned in private by IBAC in three investigations: Operation Watts (branch stacking and abuse of resources in the ALP), Operation Sandon (allegedly corrupt land deals in Casey) and Operation Daintree (a $1m-plus taxpayer-funded grant to a health union for training).

Operation Richmond has been running since 2019 but has been cloaked in secrecy, with IBAC refusing to even acknowledge its existence for several years.

The most detailed insight into the inquiry came when The Australian published a series of confidential letters and emails from then IBAC commissioner Robert Redlich and a senior IBAC legal adviser.

The correspondence to the UFU lawyers revealed a “significant number of witnesses” had been grilled in secret hearings as part of Operation Richmond.

In a letter dated October 11, 2021, Mr Redlich KC wrote: “Operation Richmond has been running now for over two years … during this time a significant number of witnesses have been compulsorily examined.”

In the three-page letter, Mr Redlich sets out the scope of Operation Richmond, confirming long-held speculation it has been probing the 2016 industrial negotiations between the ­government and the UFU in the midst of controversial changes handing the union more power over the CFA.

“I confirm that their notices do not preclude them discussing publicly any issues arising out of the subject of the investigation, namely the negotiation of the enterprise agreements in 2016 that covered the United Firefighters Union and the Country Fire Authority or the Metropolitan Fire Board,” Mr Redlich writes in the letter.