By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Premier Daniel Andrews has told an inquiry he had a “very brief encounter” with former colleague Adem Somyurek but had “no sense” that the ‘red shirts’ scheme was improper, a report has stated.
According to a Operation Watts inquiry report into ALP branch-stacking, Mr Somyurek said he’d “resisted” taking part in the rort that misused electorate office staff for political campaigning in the 2014 state election.
Mr Somyurek was one of 23 MPs found to have taken part in the $388,000 misuse of taxpayer-funded staff.
He had said he’d approached then-Opposition Leader Mr Andrews about the scheme conducted by Labor MP John Lenders.
“I said ‘Do you know what John’s doing?’
“He said, ‘Yes’. Words to the effect, ‘Well, you’re either going to – you know, if you want to win an election or not’ basically.”
Mr Andrews, who was found to have not participated in the scheme, was asked at the inquiry if he used such words.
“I don’t believe so,” he told the inquiry.
“I have a clear recollection, given the brevity of the encounter, and I‘m not – that’s not language that I use.
“I think people who know me would not see me speaking in those terms, would not describe me as someone who speaks in those terms.”
Mr Andrews confirmed there was a “very brief encounter” in which he referred Mr Somyurek to Mr Lenders, the report stated.
“He might have gone on to raise concerns with me but I directed him to Mr Lenders,” the Premier told the inquiry.
Mr Andrews said he was aware of the red shirts scheme and that it was “about engaging staff to be involved in campaigning”.
“But this issue of whether I spoke in those terms or essentially justified or was unconcerned with serious issues of probity and integrity that Mr Somyurek raised with me, that is not my recollection of that conversation and nor is that the evidence that he provided to the privileges committee at the time.
“My recollection is that at no point did I have a sense that what was being proposed was not in accordance with the rules or advice from Parliamentary Services.
“My memory of it is that it was – pooling arrangements have been part of parliamentary parties for quite some time, our party and others.
“I expect I viewed it in those terms.”
The Operation Watts report said the conversation between Mr Andrews and Mr Somyurek would be considered in a separate report by the State Ombudsman.
It’s as a result of a referral from the Legislative Council for the Ombudsman to investigate the ‘red shirts scheme’ including Mr Andrews’s role in it.
Opposition Upper House leader David Davis said the inquiry exposed Mr Andrews’s “clear lie” that he’d had no knowledge of the scheme.
“He always knew about Labor’s $388,000 rort and has lied, covered-up and deflected ever since.”
“Daniel Andrews has nowhere left to hide. He must come clean and take responsibility for this scheme.”
