Victorian Premier rejects theories over departure of senior police

The Victorian Premier has rejected claims her government and the Acting Chief Commissioner of Police have been involved in an unlawful conspiracy.

Transcript

00:00There's explosive allegations today's Herald Sun detailing former Deputy Police Commissioner

00:07Neil Paterson making a complaint to Victoria's anti-corruption watchdog IBAC.

00:11Now, in its complaint it's reported that he has concerns and he wants an investigation

00:15into the Premiership of Central Island and the Police Minister Anthony Carbines, alleging

00:19them of basically a conspiracy to remove him and the former Chief Commissioner Shane Patton

00:25by approaching the now Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent before he was actually appointed

00:30and before the other two were let go.

00:32Now, there was a vote of no confidence in the Chief Commissioner Shane Patton early

00:37in February.

00:39He was then replaced by the Acting Chief Commissioner Rick Nugent the following weekend.

00:43Rick Nugent in a statement this morning from Police said that the allegations in today's

00:48paper are completely untrue.

00:51He said there was absolutely no discussion between himself and the Government about stepping

00:54into the role prior to the weekend after that no confidence result on 14th of February.

01:00And he also says there was no condition, he never put any condition saying that Neil Paterson

01:04had to be removed if he was to take the job.

01:07The Premier and the Government for their part are also emphatically denying this allegation.

01:11Here's what the Premier told reporters a short time ago.

01:15These allegations, they're baseless.

01:18Absolutely baseless allegations.

01:19It is disappointing that IBAC, it's an independent integrity agency, that IBAC has been politicised

01:26in this way.

01:27Now the relationship between the Police and the Premier has been tested already this week.

01:32On Monday she announced the Police were setting up a new Operation Hawk to deal with new allegations

01:38of criminality in the CFMU and on big build sites in response to reports in 60 Minutes

01:43and The Age over the weekend.

01:44It turns out that operation had been going for nine months.

01:48She said yesterday that she was acting on advice from none other than Acting Chief Commissioner

01:52Rick Nugent.

01:53There's been some sort of communication breakdown then.

01:56This is another distraction for the Government but the Premier is emphatically denying these

02:00allegations.

02:01It's now over to IBAC to decide whether it should be investigation or not.