RORTS PROBE QUIZ DODGE

PREMIER Daniel Andrews has repeatedly refused to detail why his MPs are defying police requests for interviews as they probe Labor’s red shirts rort.

Mr Andrews yesterday faced more than a dozen questions on the police investigation, but attempted to bat most away by claiming it would be “inappropriate” to comment.

He refused to say why MPs were knocking back police requests for interviews, or whether he had personally instructed them not to co-operate with the investigation.

In July, the day after police confirmed they would launch a formal probe, Mr Andrews said “everybody should co-operate and everybody will”.

Yesterday he remained tight-lipped on what had changed but did concede that “we are a long way on from that”.

“I stand by all the comments I make over time, that is part of the process,” he said.

“I’ll tell you what’s not going to change: you can ask as many questions on this as you want to — that’s what these press conferences are about — but my answer won’t change.

“It is not appropriate for me to run a commentary in relation to an ongoing matter.”

Asked whether voters had the right to know these details before next month’s election, Mr Andrews again would not comment.

But he would say that refusing interviews was not a tactic to delay the investigation until after Victoria votes and that the probe would not hurt Labor’s chances at the ballot box.