CALL FOR GUN TRANSPARENCY WENT UNANSWERED
More than 100 days have passed since Western Victoria MP Bev McArthur lodged an FOI request relating to tender documents for Victoria Police’s purchase of 300 semi-automatic rifles.
No documents have been provided, nor has an explanation for the delay or notice of refusal.
Mrs McArthur initially lodged the request on September 24, which was later refined by agreement with Victoria Police, seeking:
Automatic Rifles and Ancillary Equipment by Huntsman Aus,
All correspondence between Victoria Police and Huntsman Aus between 1 February 2019 and 31 December 2019; and
Documents that contain a list of all corporations that provided a tender response to Victoria Police’s Request for Tender for the Provision of Semi-Automatic Rifles and Ancillary Equipment.
On November 12, Victoria Police wrote to Mrs McArthur seeking a further deadline extension until December 16, which was accepted.
No correspondence has been received by Mrs McArthur since the deadline passed.
Mrs McArthur has repeatedly raised the $25 million expenditure on semi-automatic rifles by Victoria Police in Parliament.
After her extensive questioning, the original media release dated 17 February 2019 announcing the expenditure, has been removed from the Premier’s website.
Mrs McArthur said, “It’s suspicious to say the least that facts changed, media releases disappeared, and I was accused of attacking the police force, when I began to pursue this line of questioning.”
“This issue is about government accountability for their use of taxpayers’ money, not police work.”
“Originally it was $25 million for 600 firearms, now it’s apparently $1 million on firearms and $24 million on training.”
“Some media reports claim that the figures add up because the remainder includes expenditure on ancillary equipment and storage, however Minister Neville told me on September 15 that $23,827,500 will be spent on specialist user training, organisation-wide training and firearm parts replacements.”
“The request for tender sought responses that could facilitate training courses for just 40 Victoria Police firearm instructors. Surely once trained, the ongoing cost of these instructors then training officers is not in the millions, given that their salaries presumably would have already been accounted for.”
“My FOI request should be fulfilled expeditiously so that Victorians have transparency over how their money was spent on this matter.”
06 January 2021