Long-awaited corruption report finds firefighter boss exerted extraordinary influence

An anti-corruption investigation examining dealings between the Victorian government and the firefighters union during the Andrews era has been released eight years after it began. The long-awaited report from Operation Richmond found that United Firefighters Union boss Peter Marshall exerted extraordinary influence and enjoyed privileged access to government figures.

Despite detailing this significant leverage during a bitter pay dispute between the state government and firefighters, the inquiry stopped short of making any formal finding of corrupt conduct against the union leader.