Minister breaks ranks with Victorian premier by calling for explanation for alleged wrongdoing on project

Victorian health infrastructure minister, Melissa Horne, has written to the head of the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority in response to what she says are ‘alarming’ allegations reported in the Nine newspapers. Photograph: James Ross/AAP View image in fullscreen Victorian health infrastructure minister, Melissa Horne, has written to the head of the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority in response to what she says are ‘alarming’ allegations reported in the Nine newspapers. Photograph: James Ross/AAP Minister breaks ranks with Victorian premier by calling for explanation for alleged wrongdoing on project Melissa Horne describes allegations of improper government interference on a hospital project as ‘alarming’, after Jacinta Allan said report was wrong Follow our Australia news live blog for latest updates Get our breaking news email , free app or daily news podcast A Victorian minister has broken ranks with Jacinta Allan over allegations involving the CFMEU, describing a report about alleged improper government interference on a hospital project as “alarming” and asking a senior official for assurances that no wrongdoing occurred. The Facebook post by the health infrastructure minister, Melissa Horne, is a public signal of fractures within the government over how to handle corruption allegations on infrastructure projects, less than five months before the state election in November. The premier continues to resist pressure to call a royal commission into corruption on government building projects, arguing it was not the most effective way to create cultural change. David Penman wasn’t happy with his local Victorian council. So, he privately prosecuted five councillors Read more On Tuesday morning, Allan said a report in the Nine newspapers – in which it was alleged the government put pressure on public servants to dismiss a plastering contractor from a hospital project due to disapproval by the CFMEU – had “no basis”. “Those reports are wrong, and there is no evidence or basis for that claim,” Allan told reporters. “It is the advice I have received that that claim is wrong.” Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email But hours later, Horne posted a letter she wrote to the head of the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority (Vida), in response to the “alarming” allegations reported in the Nine newspapers. “Today, after extremely serious allegations, I sought assurances from the Victorian Infrastructure Delivery Authority,” Horne wrote in the Facebook post. She shared a letter she wrote to the state’s infrastructure agency, which said: “These allegations of interference are deeply concerning and neither I, nor my office, have had any contact with the CFMEU whilst I have been the minister responsible for health infrastructure. “While this project was completed prior [to] my appointment was as Minister for Health Infrastructure and I was not the relevant minister at the time of the allegations, I seek your assurance that VIDA H