The Andrews Labor Government has been caught out funnelling taxpayer money through the Victorian Trades Hall Council, a union linked to Labor, to use extensively on campaigning in both state and federal elections.
The Victorian Auditor General’s Office report has uncovered another Red Shirts-style rort linked to Premier Andrews. The report outlined how $3.384 million granted by Daniel Andrews’ own department to a newly formed Migrant Workers Centre where some of these funds were used for election campaigning for the 2018 State Election and 2019 Federal Election.
The report found:
- the Premier’s Department did not bother undertaking an audit after hearing of allegations of grant misuse in mid-2020
- it “could not demonstrate compliance with its procurement policy when it engaged a consultant in June 2017 to recommend arrangements for establishing the centre”
- it ignored its own procurement policy of needing to obtain three quotes and had “not been able to locate any records indicating that three quotes were obtained”
- “the DPC staff member who formally offered the engagement to the consultant had previously worked directly with them at another government agency”
- none of the parties DPC, MWC or VTHC has explicitly acknowledged that it was inappropriate to use Government grant money for election campaigning.
The investigation follows the matter being raised by the Liberal Nationals in Parliament mid-last year and a request to the Auditor General that the matter be investigated.
The latest taxpayer rort is a kick in the guts to Victorians who have watched Daniel Andrews’ chaos unfold. They’ve seen Red Shirts rorts, dogs being driven around in ministerial chauffeur-driven cars, using taxpayer money to run a political campaign during the Federal Election, multiple allegations of branch stacking and corruption and the loss of six Labor ministers, some of whom have been thrown under the bus by Andrews.
Victorians deserve better than this rotten Labor Government.
Comments attributable to the Shadow Minister for Industrial Relations, Nick Wakeling:
“Andrews has been caught red-handed funnelling thousands of taxpayers’ dollars to put towards his election campaign war chest.
“This is a man who will stop at nothing and use what ever means he can to ultimately buy votes for this toxic Labor Government.
“After 20 years of Labor Governments in the state, Victorians deserve an accountable government who puts the interests of the community ahead of grubby politics.”
