John Lenders quits Labor campaign committee

John Lenders, who was the key architect of the infamous red shirts scheme, will no longer be on the Labor Party’s campaign committee.

Victorian Labor identity John Lenders will stand down from his role on the party’s campaign committee.

Labor state secretary Chris Ford on Tuesday confirmed that Mr Lenders, who was the key architect of the infamous red shirts scheme, wouldn’t continue in the role.

The scheme saw almost $388,000 in taxpayers’ money spent on part-paying electorate staff to campaign for the 2014 election.

Almost two dozen MPs, including several ministers, were embroiled in the scandal.

“John Lenders should be remembered for his key role as Campaign Director in the election of the Bracks Labor Government - ending Jeff Kennett’s years of devastating cuts to Victorian schools, health and transport services,” Mr Ford said.

Up until Tuesday, Mr Lenders had remained on the election campaign committee.

But pressure had been mounting on the party to dump the former Treasurer and Education Minister over his significant role in the scheme that rorted nearly $400,000 from taxpayers.

Victorian Treasurer John Lenders in his office in Melbourne, on the eve of delivering the state budget to parliament.

In a statement, Mr Lenders said: “I don’t want to be a distraction for the Party ahead of the State election, which is why I have withdrawn from the Campaign Committee.”

Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday said Mr Lenders’ role on the committee was a matter for the party.

“I’ve known John a long time and he’s somebody that I respect,” he said.

“Who is on that campaign committee is a matter for the party.

“I don’t determine the membership of that.

“I don’t appoint the campaign committee.”

Leader of the opposition in the upper house, David Davis, said Mr Andrews continued to “fail the integrity test” by promoting Mr Lenders.

“Instead of acting to rebuild community trust, Daniel Andrews now says he respects the mastermind behind a $388,000 theft of taxpayers’ money,” Mr Davis said.

“How can anyone trust Labor to clean up its culture of corruption when rorters are promoted and protected?”

“Daniel Andrews is refusing to repay more than $1.3 million in misused money and refusing to dump the red shirts rorter.”

Originally published as John Lenders quits Labor campaign committee