Shadow Minister for Water, Tim McCurdy, has again called out the Labor Government’s murky role in Melbourne Water’s review of the Maribyrnong floods after key questions were today left unanswered.
In a Public Accounts and Estimates Hearing, the Minister for Water, Harriet Shing, and DEECA officials denied the Department or the Premier’s Private Office meddled in the review despite emails obtained under FOI showing otherwise.
DEECA Secretary John Bradley said he was ”not aware of the contents of the email” despite an email from him explicitly approving the media strategy surrounding the review.
Mr McCurdy said Victorians deserve accountability and integrity when it comes to the use of public resources.
“Public servants should not be doing the Government’s dirty work,” Mr McCurdy said.
“Melbourne Water is supposed to be an independent agency and therefore should not be asking the Department for approval every time they put out a media release or make a statement.
“The relationship that exists between the Minister’s Office and Melbourne Water is ‘sketchy’ at best and deceitful at worst.”
“There are still a lot of unanswered questions around the involvement of the Minister’s Office and the Premier’s Office.”
“Victorians deserve a government with integrity, that would hold the responsible people to account for this interference.”
“If the Minister has nothing to hide, she should come clean and tell us the truth.”