The Victorian Ombudsman has decided to conduct two separate investigations, one into Labor’s “red shirts” scandal and another into the alleged politicisation of the public service, in response to parliament referral.
In February, the upper house of the Victorian parliament passed a motion calling for a re-investigation into the red shirts affair to be headed by Ombudsman Deborah Glass.
The scandal involved Labor’s misusing $388,000 (US$270,000) in taxpayer funds to pay casual electorate officers to wear red shirts and campaign for the party in marginal seats in the 2014 Victorian state election, which was not a part of their duties.
Labor already repaid the above amount following a previous inquiry into the scheme.
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