Daniel Andrews (left) and Peter Marshall have defended their actions that gave rise to an investigation by the anti-corruption watchdog. (AAP: James Ross)<\/p>\n
IBAC's overdue Operation Richmond report, published on Wednesday, stopped short of uncovering any corrupt conduct after a "handshake" deal between the Labor government and the firefighters' union in 2016.<\/p>\n
But it did find former premier Daniel Andrews, his senior ministers and public servants had circumvented the Westminster system and codes of conduct to get a politically expedient outcome.<\/p>\n
In a statement, Mr Andrews rejected any allegations of wrongdoing and said the dispute "needed to be resolved in the public interest, and it was".<\/p>\n
The "handshake" deal brokered in a hotel room between the Andrews government and the firefighters' union was finally detailed for Victorians after 10 years, three raids, and searches of 50 devices.<\/p>\n
IBAC's overdue Operation Richmond report, published on Wednesday, stopped short of uncovering any corrupt conduct.<\/p>\n
But the investigation found former premier Daniel Andrews, his senior ministers and public servants had circumvented the Westminster system and codes of conduct to get a politically expedient outcome with the United Firefighters Union (UFU) in 2016 after a bitter and long-running pay dispute.<\/p>\n
"Off doing my secret mission," then-special minister of state Gavin Jennings said in a text message on April 11 that year. He was busy on "secret business", he told staff in another.<\/p>\n
The next day, he was secretly holed up in a hotel room with union secretary Peter Marshall \u2014 who had booked the room, and brought a small team of negotiators \u2014 as well as then Department of Premier and Cabinet deputy secretary Tony Bates.<\/p>\n
Then-special minister of state Gavin Jennings spoke about handshakes and "secret business", the investigation found. (ABC News: Stephanie Anderson)<\/p>\n
They had already spent three days in a rented meeting space.<\/p>\n
"Handshake has occurred \u2014 it's done!" Mr Jennings texted Mr Andrews after the final meeting, which an unnamed senator joined to act as an intermediary. "Very good," the then-premier replied.<\/p>\n
The IBAC report found United Firefighters Union boss Peter Marshall had privileged access to government figures, but stopped short of any finding of corrupt conduct.<\/p>\n
At some point, they cracked open the bubbly. Mr Marshall had taken a photo of his UFU negotiators with full champagne glasses and sparkling wine bottles on the table beside the unnamed senator. They were toasting towards the camera, IBAC said.<\/p>\n
The next day, Mr Andrews and Mr Marshall staged a meeting at the premier's office in 1 Treasury Place. The purpose of this, IBAC said, was to have a staffer witness the handing over of the "UFU's proposal" which would finally be delivered to the minister responsible for the emergency services portfolio, Jane Garrett.<\/p>\n