Victoria Labor MPs caught in ‘Red shirt’ rort scheme refuse police interview

Victorian Labor MPs embroiled in the “Rorts for Votes” scheme are reportedly refusing to be interviewed by police.

Premier of Victoria Daniel Andrews marches with protesters. Picture: Getty

Victorian Labor MPs embroiled in the “Rorts for Votes” scheme are reportedly refusing to be interviewed by police, meaning detectives must decide whether to lay charges without questioning them first.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass found Labor “crossed a line” in the permissible use of MP entitlements during the 2014 state election campaign, when it employed a team of field officers who were paid in part by MPs’ staff allowances to the tune of $388,000.

Labor has since paid back the money.

Twenty-one members of the Daniel Andrews government were named in the report as beneficiaries including six sitting ministers.

Rob Stary, the lawyer representing 20 of the ministers named, has told police his clients will not attend interviews with fraud squad detectives, The Age report today.

Police have the power to arrest the MPs without questioning them first and the ministers will retain the right to silence once in custody.

It is understood the taskforce has been instructed not to arrest any of the MPs.

The six sitting ministers named in the Ombudsman’s report are Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio, Corrections Minister Gayle Tierney, Youth Affairs Minister Jenny ­Mikakos, Sports Minister John Eren, Attorney-General Martin Pakula, Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings.

The probe into the “red shirts” scandal has cost $878,855.

The Andrews government has been dogged for more than three years by the scandal, which is named for the distinctive red T-shirts its campaigners wore during the 2014 election campaign.

Under the rort, some campaigners’ salaries were partially paid out of MPs’ staff allowances in a practice that was found to break parliamentary rules, which stipulate that parliamentary funds cannot be used for party political purposes.