‘Concerted effort’: Former top cop’s bombshell Daniel Andrews car crash claim

Ex-Victoria Police chief commissioner issues explosive claims and implicates top government figures

Assistant commissioner Luke Cornelius says he was told to tell a ‘completely untruthful’ account of the infamous crash that occurred in 2020

Former Victoria Police chief commissioner, Luke Cornelius, has launched a bombshell attack on the state government, claiming a ‘concerted effort’ was made to cover up the truth about Daniel Andrews’ infamous 2020 car crash.

In a statutory declaration, Cornelius claims he was pressured by the then-police minister and senior government figures to provide a ‘completely untruthful’ account of the crash, which occurred in March 2020.

Cornelius alleges he was told to alter his witness statement to remove any reference to the premier’s car veering onto the wrong side of the road.

The explosive claims have sent shockwaves through the Victorian government, with Premier Daniel Andrews denying any wrongdoing and calling Cornelius’s allegations ‘outrageous’.

However, the revelations have prompted calls for an independent inquiry into the matter, with the opposition labelling it a ‘scandal’ and demanding answers.

Key points

* Former Victoria Police chief commissioner, Luke Cornelius, has accused the state government of a ‘concerted effort’ to cover up the truth about Daniel Andrews’ 2020 car crash. * Cornelius claims he was pressured to alter his witness statement to remove any reference to the premier’s car veering onto the wrong side of the road. * Premier Daniel Andrews has denied any wrongdoing, calling Cornelius’s allegations ‘outrageous’. * The opposition has called for an independent inquiry into the matter, labelling it a ‘scandal’.

Background

The incident occurred on March 9, 2020, when Andrews was driving to a press conference in Frankston. The premier’s car collided with a cyclist, who was seriously injured.

At the time, police said the cyclist had veered into the path of the premier’s car. However, Cornelius claims he was told to alter his witness statement to remove any reference to this.

Cornelius’s explosive claims have raised serious questions about the integrity of the police investigation into the crash and the conduct of the state government.

Claims and denials

In his statutory declaration, Cornelius claims he was pressured by former police minister Lisa Neville and other senior government figures to alter his witness statement.

Cornelius alleges that Neville told him: “You need to get rid of the bit about the car on the wrong side of the road.”

Neville has denied these allegations, saying she never asked Cornelius to change his statement.

Calls for an inquiry

The opposition has called for an independent inquiry into the matter, labelling it a ‘scandal’.

Shadow attorney-general, Tim Smith, said: “These are extremely serious allegations that go to the heart of our democracy.”

“We need an independent inquiry to get to the bottom of this and restore public confidence in our institutions.”

Next steps

The Victorian government has rejected calls for an independent inquiry, but has said it will cooperate fully with any investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC).

The outcome of IBAC’s investigation remains to be seen, but the explosive claims made by Cornelius have already cast a dark shadow over the state government.