Jane Garrett's anti‑corruption case exposes union sway in Victorian government

Former Victorian minister for emergency services Jane Garrett resigned in 2015 after a dispute with United Firefighters Union boss Peter Marshall. A decade later the Independent Broad‑based Anti‑corruption Commission released its Operation Richmond report, finding that Marshall exercised extraordinary influence over the state government but stopping short of naming any corruption under the legal definition.

The report details how Premier Daniel Andrews and Treasurer Tim Pallas pressured Garrett to endorse a deal negotiated behind her back, which she refused, citing the cost and the risk of handing excessive power to the union at the expense of the volunteer‑run Country Fire Authority. Garrett testified that Marshall subjected her to a “huge torrent of abuse”. The findings have been described as vindicating her stance against the union’s demands.