Former Police Minister Kevin Foley has been caught out sitting on the results of a police investigation for political gain, Shadow Police Minister Rob Lucas said today.
Mr Lucas said Mr Foley had concealed police advice received before the election on the results of a police investigation into allegations made by the Auditor-General against former Liberal Ministers.
In August last year, Auditor-General Ken MacPherson made a series of serious allegations of possible criminal behaviour by former Liberal Ministers under parliamentary privilege at a Legislative Council Select Committee hearing.
In November, the Rann Government leaked to the media that the Anti-Corruption Branch of South Australia Police (SAPOL) was investigating the allegations and had interviewed the Auditor-General.
More than a year later, it has now been revealed that SAPOL has found no evidence to support any of the allegations made by the Auditor-General under parliamentary privilege and that the police investigation did not even go beyond the ‘preliminary assessment’ stage.
“Information provided to the Liberal Party has confirmed that this advice was actually given to Mr Foley prior to the election – in February – by the Police Commissioner,” Mr Lucas said today.
“It is disgraceful that Mr Foley chose to conceal this police advice and not release it when he received it.
“It is outrageous that Mr Foley allowed these allegations of possible criminal activity by Liberal Ministers to ‘hang in the air’ to try and gain political advantage for the Rann Government in the election.
“Mr Foley clearly knew that a majority of Rob Kerin’s Shadow Cabinet were former Ministers and therefore potentially covered by the Auditor-General’s allegations.
“We welcome the fact that SAPOL has found no evidence to support the Auditor-General’s allegations made under parliamentary privilege.
“It is now up to Mr McPherson to decide whether he will now issue an apology to former Liberal Ministers whose reputations have been smeared by these allegations.”