Minister faces snooping claim

THE Victorian opposition has asked the soon-to-be abolished Office of Police Integrity to investigate a government minister.

THE Victorian opposition has asked the soon-to-be abolished Office of Police Integrity to investigate a government minister over claims he inappropriately accessed a confidential police database when he was a serving police officer.

Opposition police spokesman James Merlino yesterday accused Manufacturing Minister Richard Dalla-Riva of accessing the Victoria Police LEAP database to snoop on prospective neighbours.

"He has boasted around town that when he was a member of Victoria Police he inappropriately accessed the LEAP database to gather information on potential neighbours . . . when he was house-hunting," Mr Merlino said in state parliament.

"I put it to this house that person is none other then Minister Richard Dalla-Riva. Before he brought his house, he LEAPed the entire street."

But Mr Dalla-Riva said the claims made by Mr Merlino were "a complete fabrication" and called on him and Labor leader Daniel Andrews to apologise.

He told parliament that in 1993, when he was working for Victoria Police but seconded to the National Crime Authority and his wife was an inspector with the Australian Protective Service counter-terrorism unit, their house was letter-bombed.

"The targeted attacks on my family were the subject of a high-level Victoria Police investigation. The Special Operations Group was involved in protection of me and my wife and in the investigation of the crimes," he said. "The LEAP database was not illegally nor inappropriately accessed by me."

Late yesterday, Mr Merlino said the only way the matter could be resolved was through an investigation by the OPI.

"I have written to the Office of Police Integrity seeking such an investigation," he said.

In response, Mr Dalla-Riva wrote to Mr Andrews, demanding an apology and accusing him of a smear campaign.

"I am formally writing to the Leader of the Opposition, demanding that he publicly apologise for these outrageous, false and defamatory claims in parliament," he said.