Neville backs police probe
STATE Labor MP Lisa Neville has backed Victoria Police in its investigation into the rorts for votes scandal, as Labor Party state secretary called Thursday’s dawn raids as “completely unnecessary”.
Ms Neville made comment exclusively to the Geelong Advertiser while in Queenscliff yesterday to meet with local traders, while several other party members were accused of skipping events on Thursday.
“While I don’t comment on operational decisions, I back in the police in what they do,” the Police Minister said.
“I’m not going to make any criticism of the police at all.”
On Thursday, Victoria Police fraud and extortion squad officers raided the homes of several former campaign staff in relation to the $388,000 rorts-for-votes scheme, with 17 questioned across Victoria, NSW and the Northern Territory.
Ms Neville’s support comes after Labor Party state sec- retary Samuel Rae said the decision to raid people’s homes was “completely unnecessary, given those involved would have co-operated if asked”.
Ms Neville said Mr Rae was speaking as a Labor Party chief, but as Police Minister it was her role to back the police — “and I have done this every step of the way”.
Ms Neville came under scrutiny when it was revealed that taxpayers’ money was used to pay a staff member at John Eren’s Corio office, while the worker was actually campaigning in her electorate whose office is in Leopold — more than 20km away.
She is not under investigation by police.
The Bellarine MP also took aim at the Borough of Queenscliffe Council yesterday in a meeting with local traders and community members regarding the Destination Queenscliff Project.
Under the multimilliondollar development, the Shortlands Bluff kiosk will be turned into a 40-seat cafe and information centre.
Traders say existing busi- nesses could suffer from the development, and in particular the new cafe, and have accused the council of displaying a lack of empathy for their concerns.
“Let’s see what we can do to come out of this with a way forward for everyone,” Ms Neville said.
Local trader Sally Denahy said the group was not against development in the borough but felt the council did not have a true understanding of the struggle some local businesses faced in the off-season.
“Unless you were on the internet or had time to look — which when running a small business, you don’t — we had no idea (about this development),” she said. “I just wish they were more transparent.”
Queenscliff Community Association president David Connoley said he felt the minister had “danced around many key issues.”
“I don’t think there were many answers resolved today,” he said. “The central concern around council management or the notion of a council in crisis running this major project was not answered.”