Tuesday, 2 May 2023

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:02): My question is to the Premier. Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass discredited the Premier’s characterisation of Operation Daintree as an educational report, saying:

It was not an educational report, it was a damning report about misconduct of ministerial advisors, and ministerial responsibility for those advisors.

The Ombudsman went on further, saying:

… it says a lot about the Premier’s views on corruption and integrity …

Does the Premier agree with the Ombudsman’s scathing characterisation of his actions and those of his office?

 Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:03): Whilst I am invited to reflect upon the Ombudsman, an officer of this Parliament, I will not be doing that. Nor will I be offering an opinion, which I think is outside the scope of the standing orders. If the Leader of the Opposition – who perhaps needs a bit of help with the drafting of these questions, just quietly – has read the report, then he will know that there were 17 recommendations made. The cabinet, as part of a proper, orderly process, will consider those recommendations, and we will update the house and the community accordingly. In the meantime, I will take the opportunity to say, lest anyone be misled by the Leader of the Opposition, that the anti-corruption commission had an investigation. They have produced a report and found no corrupt conduct by anyone.

 John PESUTTO (Hawthorn – Leader of the Opposition) (14:04): Having refused to read the letter from former IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich about corruption on the Premier’s watch, has the Premier read Operation Daintree: Special Report?

 Daniel ANDREWS (Mulgrave – Premier) (14:04): Of course I have read the report and responded to it. At the end of the day, if the Leader of the Opposition wants to go letterbox by letterbox pinching people’s mail, have at it, mate. That correspondence was not addressed to me, and I will not read that correspondence. If you want to spend your time reading missives from the former head of an agency, go for it. We would rather focus on delivering for Victorians and getting on –

John Pesutto interjected.

Daniel ANDREWS: The Leader of the Opposition ought reflect on the small number of people he sits with because the people of Victoria have had their say on you, mate. They have had their say on you, and you can be as distracted as you want; we will not be.

James Newbury: On a point of order, Speaker, I refer you to standing order 58. The Premier knows better than to debate the question, and I would ask you to bring him back to the question.

The SPEAKER: The Premier has concluded his answer.