March 24, 2012

Liberal MP Andrew McIntosh accused of breaking his promise to investigate Kew Cottages development | Herald Sun

LIBERAL MP ANDREW MCINTOSH HAS BEEN ACCUSED OF BREAKING A PLEDGE. PICTURE: JAY TOWN HERALD SUN

Peter Rolfe

THE minister responsible for Victoria's new anti-corruption commission has been accused of turning his back on a pledge to investigate alleged corruption and kickbacks in his own local patch.

After lashing the former Labor government over the controversial development of the Kew Cottages site, Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission Minister Andrew McIntosh last year promised the deal would be among the first probed by the watchdog.

But the Kew Liberal MP has backflipped on the commitment, last week telling the Sunday Herald Sun the issue was out of the corruption buster's reach and ruling out an immediate suspension of further development...

Baillieu watchdog to have much to chew over | The Age

Royce Millar and Melissa Fyfe

March 15, 2012

PREMIER Ted Baillieu's looming anti-corruption watchdog faces tough early tests with confirmation it will be asked to examine controversies including the development of the state-owned Kew Cottages and the long-running wrangle at the top of Victoria Police.

Andrew McIntosh, the minister responsible for the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission, told The Age that he would personally refer the Kew Cottages issue to the commission, scheduled to begin mid-year.

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March 13, 2012

Another election promise crumbles | The Age Letters 20120314

Another election promise crumbles

AT A meeting last month, Andrew McIntosh, minister for the anti-corruption commission, made it clear that, regardless of what he had said in opposition about the need for the Kew Cottages development to be investigated, the matter would be out of his hands and in the hands of the anti-corruption commission.

Yet, as the responsible minister, he has shackled the commission with legislation designed to disable any investigation. He has stated it would require proof of an indictable offence to refer the matter to the commission and this would have to be based on facts, not ''opinion''. But isn't that the purpose of a commission? To find proof that can go to the police?

Given the secrecy surrounding the Kew Cottages development, how can such proof be documented without the powers of a commission?

Few, if any, of the projects that the Liberals have complained so vociferously about in opposition will now be investigated. This is hypocrisy, plain and simple; yet another election promise that has quickly crumbled under internal pressures.

Andrew Kelly, Kew

March 13, 2012

Baillieu's shadow play | The Age

''MATES, money, waste, mess, delays, deceit, bungles and dodgy tenders.'' This was Ted Baillieu in 2006, on the cusp of becoming leader of the Victorian opposition, and on a theme that would help propel him into the premiership four years later...

http://www.theage.com.au/victoria/baillieus-shadow-play-20120309-1upxq.html