Wednesday, 22 March 2023

Government integrity

Michael O’BRIEN (Malvern) (14:11): My question is to the Premier. The former commissioner of IBAC, the Honourable Robert Redlich KC, wrote to Parliament last year alleging that IBAC’s independent auditors had been directed by Labor government MPs to:

… find dirt on IBAC and data that is not … publicly available.

However, the Labor government has now blocked attempts to establish an inquiry into these deeply concerning allegations. Why is the government so concerned to stop the truth coming out about the undermining of Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog?

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:12): I am not entirely sure that the member for Malvern is accurately describing events as they have transpired. The Legislative Council and what it does or does not establish is a matter for the Legislative Council, and attributing motives to members of the Legislative Council is, as I am sure the member for Brighton would be only too happy to jump up and remind us, unparliamentary.

Michael O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, answers must be factual, succinct, direct and relevant. This morning –

The SPEAKER: Order! That is the point of order.

Michael O’Brien: This morning in this chamber the government refused me leave for a motion to establish a select inquiry.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! The member for South Barwon is warned. The Premier was being relevant to the question.

Daniel ANDREWS: The member for Brighton is keeping a roll now, apparently.

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! Premier, through the Chair.

Members interjecting.

Daniel ANDREWS: Oh, I simply yield! What a stunning attack. I simply yield. You have got me. You have got me wounded, forever wounded. Thanks very much, member for Brighton – or whoever it was that –

Members interjecting.

The SPEAKER: Order! I would like to hear the Premier’s answer in silence without interjections. People will be removed without warning.

Daniel ANDREWS: The member for Malvern is attributing motives to members of Parliament and is describing all manner of affairs, and I do not believe his descriptions are either fair or accurate. The way to best evidence is not so much an opinion or a review. Have a look at the budget papers, member for Malvern. The funding for IBAC has increased under our government. The powers of IBAC have been broadened under our government. Are those actions consistent with the way you have structured your question? No, they are not. You hardly increase the powers and budget of an agency if you are not supportive of its work.

Michael O’Brien: On a point of order, Speaker, I ask you to bring the Premier back to the question, which is about the specific allegations regarding the undermining of IBAC by Labor government MPs in relation to the Auditor-General – allegations contained in the letter which I make available to the Parliament since the Premier still seems not to have been able to find time in his busy schedule to read it 13 days later.

The SPEAKER: The Premier was relevant to the question that was asked, and the member for Malvern knows not to extrapolate on points of order. Be succinct.

Daniel ANDREWS: As I will again make the point to the member for Malvern, as I did to the Leader of the Opposition, that is not correspondence addressed to me. It is a matter that was actioned during the 59th Parliament, not the 60th Parliament. It is a matter for the Presiding Officers at best, and I think I have dealt with your question and all of the false inferences and imputations contained within it.

Michael O’BRIEN (Malvern) (14:15): Other than changes to the composition of Parliament’s Integrity and Oversight Committee has the government offered any other inducement to any other party to vote against the establishment of a select committee into allegations raised by the Honourable Robert Redlich KC?

Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:16): Firstly, if a head then or a former head now of an integrity body wanted to make any such allegations, they may well be obliged to do so under the law of this state, and they would certainly be capable of making such claims, complaints and allegations. They would not need the help of my honourable friend over here to achieve that. On the principal issue of the question, the composition of the Integrity and Oversight Committee will return to the way it was structured between 2014 and 2018, and that is all that has been determined.