IBAC report finds 'serious and concerning' conduct in Andrews government-firefighters union dealings
Consensus Summary
Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog, IBAC, released its Operation Richmond report on August 5, [DATE UNVERIFIED], concluding that senior members of the former Daniel Andrews government engaged in 'serious and concerning conduct' during negotiations with the United Firefighters Union (UFU) over pay deals for the Country Fire Authority (CFA) and Metropolitan Fire Brigade (MFB). The investigation, which began in 2018 and examined events dating back to Andrews’ first term, found that the government secretly negotiated a deal with UFU secretary Peter Marshall in April 2016, excluding the responsible minister and key stakeholders. The report revealed that Marshall exerted 'extraordinary influence' over the negotiations, including privileged access to senior government figures, and that the CFA board was later replaced to approve the agreement. IBAC also found that Marshall sought to influence the appointment of the Fire Rescue Victoria Commissioner in 2019 and that an MFB board member shared confidential information with him. Despite these findings, IBAC did not make any determinations of corrupt conduct, citing Victoria’s narrow legal definition. Marshall denied any wrongdoing and criticized IBAC’s methods, while Andrews and other officials defended their actions. The report highlights broader concerns about Victoria’s anti-corruption laws and the politicization of public service, with calls for reform from integrity experts.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The investigation began in 2018 and examined events dating back to Daniel Andrews' first term as premier (post-2014 election)
- Peter Marshall, secretary of the United Firefighters Union (UFU), exerted 'extraordinary influence' over firefighter pay negotiations and the amalgamation of CFA and MFB
- IBAC found 'serious and concerning conduct' by senior members of the Andrews government, including ministers, MPs, and public servants, but no findings of corrupt conduct
- The CFA pay dispute was a key political issue in the 2014 Victorian election, with the UFU distributing 300,000 how-to-vote cards at 109 polling booths and door-knocking across Victoria
- Negotiations for the CFA enterprise agreement began in early 2015 but stalled by 2016
- Jane Garrett, then emergency services minister, resigned from cabinet in June 2016 due to opposition to the agreement
- Gavin Jennings, then special minister of state, and Tony Bates, deputy secretary of the Department of Premier and Cabinet, led negotiations with Marshall in April 2016
- The deal was struck on 12 April 2016, with Jennings texting Andrews: 'Handshake has occurred – it’s done!'
- The CFA board refused to endorse the agreement, and its members were stood down and replaced
- IBAC found Marshall had privileged access to senior government figures, including texting Jennings between 1am and 3am and Andrews receiving calls from Marshall at 4am
- The CFA EBA included 'veto clauses' allowing the UFU to block policies it disagreed with
- IBAC found Marshall sought to influence the appointment of the Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) Commissioner in 2019
- IBAC found an MFB board member, Greg Sword, shared confidential information with Marshall in 2019 in breach of professional obligations
- The investigation found no evidence of blackmail by Marshall against Andrews
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- Daniel Andrews resigned as premier in 2023, while Gavin Jennings quit politics in 2020.
- The Ibac report said Marshall texted Jennings between 1am and 3am, while an adviser from the premier’s office said Andrews received calls from Marshall at 4am.
- Marshall described Ibac’s failure to make findings of corrupt conduct as 'vindication' and defended his actions as simply representing his members’ interests.
- Andrews issued a statement noting: 'For the record and the avoidance of any doubt, there are no findings in relation to corrupt conduct made about me, any other member of the government, or the public service.'
- The Centre for Public Integrity said the narrow definition of corrupt conduct in the Ibac Act means Ibac cannot make findings of corrupt conduct unless the conduct constitutes a relevant criminal offence.
- Former Victorian ombudsman Deborah Glass warned of 'creeping politicisation' of the public service in her 2023 final report.
- The Ibac report was delayed by Marshall's legal challenges, originally scheduled for release by the end of June 2026.
- Peter Marshall called for an investigation into IBAC itself, stating: 'Eight years and what we understand to be an estimated $8 million dollars of public money, and not one finding of corrupt conduct.'
- Marshall described IBAC's investigation methods as 'intrusive surveillance' and 'extreme'.
- Marshall said IBAC's record needs review regarding its treatment of employees, leaks, and publication of confidential phone intercepts.
- Victorian premier Ben Carroll distanced himself from the investigation, stating: 'This was a report that was 10 years in the making, I was not in the cabinet when all of these matters began.'
- Jane Garrett died from cancer in 2022.
- The IBAC report was suppressed for years by legal challenges from Marshall, despite the watchdog’s efforts to have it made public.
- The CFA’s log of claims was 400 pages long, and the agency was concerned some of its key requests were unlawful.
- Andrews and Jennings told IBAC that by March 2016 the dispute had reached a crisis point, with Andrews describing the situation as 'completely intractable'.
- An MFB executive called Tony Bates on April 17, 2016, asking: 'What the f--- do you think you’re playing at?'
- Marshall hired a relative of a crossbench MP days before a 2019 bill reforming fire services was due for a vote in the upper house, telling a friend the MP was '100 per cent behind us'.
- Marshall created a landing page on the UFU Victoria website explaining his eight years of legal battles with IBAC about the release of Operation Richmond.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The Guardian and The Age state that IBAC found no evidence of blackmail by Marshall, but the Guardian also notes that the investigation began after a tip-off alleging Marshall 'blackmailed or otherwise compromised' Andrews, which Marshall denied.
- The Guardian states that Marshall described Ibac’s failure to make findings of corrupt conduct as 'vindication', while The Age reports Marshall slammed both the investigation and IBAC, calling it a 'witch hunt'.
- The ABC states that Marshall called for an investigation into IBAC itself, while The Age reports Marshall created a landing page on the UFU website explaining his legal battles with IBAC, but does not mention calling for an investigation into IBAC.
Source Articles
A ‘staged’ meeting and a secret deal: how a union boss exerted ‘extraordinary influence’ on the Andrews government
Integrity experts say Ibac’s report exposes a deeper problem with Victoria’s anti-corruption laws In April 2016, the firefighters’ union leader, Peter Marshall, walked into the Victorian premier’s office at 1 Treasury Place carrying what appeared to be a breakthrough: a union “proposal” that promised to end one of the state’s most bitter industrial disputes. When questioned years later by Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog, then premier Daniel Andrews said the duo didn’t discuss its substance.
Breaking: Firefighters union boss exerted 'extraordinary' influence, report finds
The IBAC report into a bitter pay dispute between the Victorian government and firefighters during the Andrews era found United Firefighters Union boss Peter Marshall had privileged access to government figures, but stopped short of any finding of corrupt conduct.
Secret missions and staged meetings: How a backroom deal led to IBAC probe
An MFB executive asked an Andrews government employee “what the f--- do you think you’re playing at?” during tense pay negotiations, according to a report into the Operation Richmond investigation, which has been released after eight years.
Daniel Andrews’ government engaged in ‘concerning’ conduct but no evidence of firefighter union blackmail: Ibac report
Anti-corruption watchdog’s long-awaited report finds ‘serious and concerning’ conduct by senior government members in dealings with union boss Senior members of the former Daniel Andrews government engaged in “serious and concerning” conduct in their dealings with firefighters union boss Peter Marshall, a long-awaited report by the Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog has found. The report by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (Ibac) was tabled in parliament on Wednesday, some