VICTORIAN Premier Daniel Andrews was aware of a Labor Party scheme to misuse electorate office staff for political campaigning but did not realise the plan would go against party rules.
The admission was revealed in extracts of Mr Andrews' evidence to Operation Watts – a joint inquiry from the Independent Broad–based Anti–corruption Commission and Victorian Ombudsman into branch stacking in Victorian Labor.
The integrity watchdogs published their special 233–page report into the operation on Wednesday.
The premier previously refused to confirm if he was interviewed in the inquiry.
But according to extracts of Mr Andrews' evidence, the premier admitted he was aware of what fellow MP John Lenders – the architect of the so–called "Red Shirts" scheme – was proposing to do "in a general sense".
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The Red Shirts rorting scandal involved the misuse of taxpayer funded electorate staff for campaign purposes ahead of the 2014 election and was subject to a separate ombudsman investigation finalised in 2018.
"I was aware that it was about engaging staff to be involved in campaigning," the premier told the latest inquiry.
"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."
Former Victorian Labor MP Adem Somyurek told the inquiry he took part in the Red Shirts scheme after speaking to Mr Andrews in 2014.
"I went to the premier. I said 'Do you know what John's doing?' He said, 'Yes'," Mr Somyurek told the inquiry in his evidence.
"Words to the effect, 'Well, you're either going to – you know, if you want to win an election or not'.
"I took part. Perhaps I shouldn't have. I did."
Mr Andrews accepted he had a "very brief encounter" with Mr Somyurek after a caucus meeting in 2014, but denied making any reference to winning an election.
"I have a clear recollection, given the brevity of the encounter, and ... that's not language that I use," Mr Andrews said in his evidence.
"People who know me would not see me speaking in those terms, would not describe me as someone who speaks in those terms."
The Victorian Ombudsman and IBAC on Wednesday determined no Victorian Labor MPs would be criminally charged despite evidence of deliberate, extensive and egregious use of taxpayer resources.
The watchdogs' report made 21 recommendations, including legislating a parliamentary ethics committee.
IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich said the changes needed to come from the top.
"According to some of the evidence, the culture of branch stacking is at least 70 years old. It's a long standing practice," Mr Redlich told reporters on Wednesday.
"The responsibly for that must lie with leadership. The responsibility for misconduct, misuse of electoral allowances, is a different matter." –AAP
