The Victorian ombudsman previously found the scheme misused $388,000 of taxpayer funds, which has since been repaid

This article is more than 2 years old

This article is more than 2 years old

Victorian Labor’s so-called “rorts-for-votes” scandal during the party’s successful 2014 election campaign is being investigated by police.

The probe, which will look at the actions of senior party MPs, comes less than four months before the next state poll at which Labor will try to hold government.



It comes after the Victorian ombudsman found the scheme misused $388,000 of taxpayer funds, which had since been repaid, by using public-paid electorate staff to campaign for Labor candidates.

In a statement on Friday, police said the fraud and extortion squad would conduct a formal investigation into the issue.



“Victoria Police undertook reassessment of the material in relation to allegations of misuse of parliamentary budget entitlements to determine if further investigation was required,” it said.



“This assessment has now been completed and a formal investigation will now be conducted.”

Chief commissioner Graham Ashton last week told parliament’s privileges committee that police were looking at evidence relating to the scheme and a decision was “imminent”.

The matter was referred to police in 2015 and the force the next year decided not to investigate following legal advice.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass found 21 past and present Labor MPs systematically misused public money during the party’s successful 2014 election campaign, with $388,000 in taxpayer funds approved for electorate officers who instead worked as campaign staff.

Ashton said charges which could flow from an investigation included making false documents, conspiracy of fraud and a common law charge of mistreating the public office.

The fraud and extortion squad was called after a letter of complaint sent by upper house Liberal MP Edward O’Donohue.

Opposition leader Matthew Guy on Friday called for premier Daniel Andrews to immediately stand down ministers under active police investigation.

“It would be unbelievable if Victoria’s police minister and attorney general kept their jobs while being investigated by the Victoria Police,” the Liberal leader said in a statement.

Victorians are going to the polls on November 24.