‘Deal with it, but don’t be distracted’: Neil Mitchell’s view on latest red shirts development

Neil Mitchell says he supports a fresh investigation into the ‘red shirts’ scandal, but it shouldn’t be allowed to distract from the more important issues facing the state.

Fictorian Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek’s controversial motion to have the scandal reinvestigated passed in Victoria’s upper house on Wednesday.

Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela, a close ally of Mr Somyurek, sensationally crossed the floor to help pass the motion, which calls on Ombudsman Deborah Glass to reconsider the matter with a view to referring it to Victoria’s corruption watchdog.

When Ms Glass investigated the scandal four years ago, she found Labor misused $388,000 of taxpayer money to pay political campaign staff before the 2014 election. More than 20 Labor MPs, both past and present, were found to have breached parliamentary guidelines but no criminal charges were laid. Labor paid back the money used in the scheme.

Mr Somyurek’s motion called on the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) to investigate the scandal and whether Daniel Andrews had a role in it, by tacking it on to the current IBAC investigation into branch stacking.

It’s now up to the integrity bodies to decide whether or not they investigate the matter further.

Neil Mitchell says he’s got “no doubt it was a rort orchestrated from very high places”, and it’s “outrageous” that cabinet members refused to cooperate with police during the initial investigation.

But the 3AW Mornings host says the red shirts probe should not be allowed to distract from “even more important issues which touch people’s lives more directly”.

“I think a further inquiry is needed but it’s not the top of Victoria’s agenda. It must not be a distraction,” he said.

“This will be the second election where red shirts develops on the eve of the vote, but there are more important things — like fixing the health system – its a disgrace! Like getting the city moving again – it’s dead! Looking after kids in schools, looking after the elderly in aged care — all manner of things which touch lives more directly.

“I’ve got a suspicion majority of voters have moved on.”

Press PLAY below for Neil Mitchell’s view on the latest development