Victorian Government loses court appeal to block ombudsman investigating Labor rorts

By Emma Younger

Posted about an hour ago


Victorian Supreme Court generic
Photo: The Supreme Court has ruled an ombudsman investigation into Labor rorts can go ahead (ABC News)

Related Story: State Government to challenge court ruling to allow Ombudsman to investigate Labor MP rorts


Map:  Melbourne 3000

The Victorian Government has lost a legal appeal, clearing the way for the ombudsman to investigate allegations Labor MPs rorted their parliamentary entitlements.

Earlier this year, the Supreme Court ruled the watchdog could investigate allegations MPs misused their taxpayer-funded entitlements by letting paid staffers work in campaign roles in the lead up to the 2014 state election.

The Government challenged that ruling in the Court of Appeal, which has found the trial judge analysed the relevant legislation correctly.

Greens MP Greg Barber, who put forward the motion to the Upper House that the ombudsman should investigate, said it was time for the watchdog's investigation to begin.

"There's been two rounds in court and who knows, they may even appeal to the High Court now," he said.


"They need to clear the air, they need to get out in front of this and encourage an open investigation into the matter."

Victorian ombudsman Deborah Glass had asked the court to rule on the matter after the Andrews Government claimed it was outside her powers.

The Opposition has called on the Government to repay taxpayer money used to fund the legal challenges.

Shadow attorney-general John Pesutto said more than $1 million had been wasted.

"If the Labor party felt the ombudsman couldn't proceed then it should have been the Labor party that came to court and put its hand into its own pocket to fund the appeal," he said.

"Instead ... Daniel Andrews has defended the Labor party at the cost of Victorian tax payers, that's pretty outrageous."

A Victoria Police investigation found using staff for party political purposes was not against the law.

The Premier has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing.

Topics: state-parliament, government-and-politics, courts-and-trials, law-crime-and-justice, corruption, melbourne-3000, vic

So, the courts reckon it's not legal and the police reckon it is.     Fine by me, by all means have an investigation - these things have a habit of backfiring on all parties though.        Nice to see the 4 left in the LNP having a say in the papers though.

So as a lib what policy should it be?

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/rape-victims-should-not-have-abortions-says-li...