MONDAY, MARCH 4, 2013 $1.20* (Incl. GST) + Herald Sunheraldsun.com.au SUPERSTAR FOOTY GREAT MARKS *Conditions GREATGREAT apply DVD GREAT PPLAYERSLAYERS GOALS TOKEN POLICE CRISIS ROCKS GOVERNMENT PAGE 8 SECRET FB123 Taped: The Premier’s C chief of staff Tony Nutt, and former police M adviser Tristan Weston Y TAPES K Now listen to the recordings BOMBSHELLheraldsun.com.au DHS 4-MAR-2013 PAGE 1 FIRST 4MAR KEY STAFFER JOB HELP AT ODDS PAID $22,500 BAILLIEU ADVISER SECRET tapes lifting the lid WITH PREMIER on confidential dealings and SLAMS DEPUTY PREMIER payouts behind the police EXCLUSIVE Ted Baillieu’s public assurances command crisis have rocked James Campbell that his office was not assisting Herald Sun played no role in the Baillieu Government. the former adviser. recording the conversations. Deputy Premier in a one-seat More than four hours of digital The payments were made after ‘‘I mean, I know Gina Rinehart,’’ In them, Mr Nutt told Mr majority government.’’ audio recordings and documents Mr Weston was forced to resign Mr Nutt tells Mr Weston in a phone Weston ‘‘there’s lots of people we Mr Weston yesterday stood by have emerged revealing former ad- as an adviser to Deputy Premier conversation on July 10, 2012. collectively know — Damien, Ted his version of events: ‘‘I was always viser Tristan Weston — who quit in and Police Minister Peter Ryan. A source has provided the — in the real world. If that’s taught that if you can’t say some- the wake of an OPI report into the where you end up, the Liberal thing nice about someone, you The tapes also reveal that Mr Herald Sun with digital record- split between top cops Simon Weston was repeatedly offered ings of three phone conver- family is never going to forget you should say nothing at all.’’ Overland and Sir Ken Jones — was help in finding a new job by the sations and two meetings involv- and your family.’’ Mr Ryan’s spokesman said: ‘‘The OPI exhaustively investigated paid $22,500 by the Liberal Party. Premier’s most senior adviser, ing Mr Weston, Mr Nutt, and the In one tape, when Mr Nutt tells these issues and published findings Tony Nutt — actions at odds with Victorian director of the Liberal Mr Weston he must resign, Mr adverse to Mr Weston. Mr Ryan Party, Damien Mantach. The Nutt says: ‘‘I appreciate that there stands by all comments made in all may be more there . but he’s the forums regarding these issues.’’ Reports, Pages 4-7 THE AFL SPORT POWER LIST FIERY END MELBOURNE TO SIEGE + P3 AIDS COUP P9 + + I’ll4 NEWS MONDAY, help MARCH 4, 2013 HERALDSUN.COM.AU you get a Top Baillieu aide pledged support to former adviser TED Baillieu’s top adviser James Campbell repeatedly promised a for- mer adviser to Police Minis- Weston was made even ter Peter Ryan he would help before the OPI had tabled him get a new job — revel- its report on crisis in police ations at odds with the command. FIRST Premier’s assurances. A week before the OPI In a phone conversation report became public, in 4 recorded on July 10, Mr October, 2011, Mr Nutt met Baillieu’s chief of staff, Tony Mr Weston and Mr Mantach Nutt, even told Tristan at the Liberal Party’s head- Weston he knew Gina Rine- quarters in Exhibition St. hart, indicating he’d app- None of them knew wheth- roach her to give him work. er the OPI’s report would Mr Weston said he was clear Mr Weston of miscon- interested in doing security duct, criticise him, or recom- TRISTAN WESTON TONY NUTT DAMIEN MANTACH assessment work in the min- mend he be charged. A Detective Leading Senior Took over as Ted Baillieu’s chief of Replaced Nutt as Liberal Party ing industry, and Mr Nutt But Mr Nutt was keen to Constable with 15 years’ experience staff from Michael Kapel in January, state director in February, 2011, said he was happy to oblige. reassure Mr Weston that in Victoria Police. Appointed as 2012, after nine months as director of when Nutt went to Ted Baillieu’s ‘‘There’s a lot of...people whatever the report found, Peter Ryan’s adviser on police in his private offi ce. Previously chief of offi ce. Previously state director . I know in the mining the Premier and the Liberal March 2011. Resigned October staff to Prime Minister John Howard in Tasmania after working in the industry . I’m a Perth boy Party would not forget him. originally, you know. I mean, ‘‘(There’s) lots of people 2011 after OPI report found he and state director of the Liberal Party Howard Government’s Government I know Gina Rinehart,’’ Mr that we collectively all know undermined Simon Overland. in South Australia and Victoria. Members Secretariat. DHS 4-MAR-2013 PAGE Nutt said in the call. — Damien knows and I know ‘‘I’ve met a lot them, and and Ted knows and lots of the ones I don’t know, I people know, um — in the know the bloke who knows wider world. So if that’s K the bloke who set up the where we wind up in a month company 30 years ago, or or two, with you looking to Y something. So you know, I the wider world, then I think M know a lot of those people.’’ that you shouldn’t feel that The call to Mr Weston the Liberal family is suddenly C came a day after Mr Weston sort of going to say, ‘Thank told Liberal Party state you very much’ and wave you director Damien Mantach he and your family goodbye. was annoyed at Mr Ryan’s ‘‘You know, that’s not the comments about him: ‘‘I way we work,’’ he said. think, you know, Peter Ryan At the same meeting, the tends to run off at the two men discussed with Mr mouth, and it would be in his Weston how he could avoid best interests not to, mate.’’ the media in the days after The offer of job assistance the report was released. FB123 was in addition to $22,500 Mr Mantach said the paid to Mr Weston on the party could find Mr Weston say-so of Mr Mantach, who and his family accommo- in one recording can be dation at short notice. heard reminding him: ‘‘I am ‘‘We can quickly find a cot- the person who stepped in tage or a house or, you know, and put you on a payroll for another sort of accommo- three months . And you dation you need. You know, know, I didn’t have to do down the west somewhere I that, and I did.’’ think would be good, where SIR KEN JONES TED BAILLIEU BILL TILLEY Mr Nutt’s offer, and other you’re right out of the Mel- Senior British policeman, appointed Became Premier after successfully Former Victorian policeman. Liberal promises of assistance, were bourne CBD,’’ he said. Deputy Commissioner of Victoria contesting the November 2010 MP for the seat of Benambra since made both before and after ‘‘You know, in a quiet town Police in 2009. Fell out with Simon election, with a Liberal-National 2006. Appointed December 2010 October, 2011, when Mr somewhere, whether it’s Overland after raising concerns about Coalition defeating the Labor Party as parliamentary secretary to Peter Weston resigned following Queenscliff or Point Lons- issues including parolees. Resigned with a one-seat majority. Ryan. Resigned October 2011 as the OPI’s accusation he had dale, or further down at after being directed to take leave in parliamentary secretary after OPI run a campaign against Anglesea or Apollo Bay or police chief Simon Overland. somewhere, that’s — you’ve May 2011. Was critcised by the OPI. fi ndings criticised him. Last July, broadcaster Neil got to go away, mate. I mean, Mitchell put it to Mr Baillieu the last thing we want is that Mr Weston had ‘‘taken a media turning up at school, fall’’ and that Deputy Prem- and on this sort of issue.’’ as the OPI was signalling it well, look, you know, there’s ‘‘So given that that’s now you’ve got something lined ier Peter Ryan was ‘‘up to his The day before the report might still charge him. been unpleasantness, pretty clear, and given there’s no up, subject to clearance. neck in it and to help square was tabled, the three men But after helping Mr political, but, you know, if question of any legal pro- But if . it’s something we things off your people are try- met again. Weston to draft his resig- you’re looking for a good ceedings against you, then can do to help, we’d be ing to get him a job’’. At this meeting, Mr Nutt nation letter, Mr Nutt made quality person, here’s a good I think it would be good to keen to do that now that Mr Baillieu replied: ‘‘I don’t told Mr Weston he had read it clear he was prepared to quality person,’’ he said. sort of ramp up the assist- we’re not in this awful believe that’s the case’’, and the report — ‘‘they’ve really help Mr Weston find work in In July, 2012, a week after ance,’’ he said. environment of . can the ‘‘I just don’t think there’s any gone after you’’ — and it the mining industry, once the the OPI said it would not ‘‘You know, happy to Premier’s office say some- credibility to that scenario’’.