Minister Backed by Premier Amid Character Reference Controversy
Victorian Premier Jacinta Allan has publicly affirmed her confidence in a newly appointed minister, Luba Grigorovitch, following an apology for issuing character references without adequate vetting. Ms Grigorovitch, who joined cabinet in April, admitted to providing 33 character references since her election to parliament in late 2022.
The controversy centres on several of these references, specifically those provided to two men convicted of domestic violence and sexual assault. These individuals had separately challenged the federal government’s decisions to revoke their visas, citing a failure to meet character requirements.
Ms Grigorovitch acknowledged that she should not have provided references for these two men, nor for another four individuals with problematic pasts.
The Minister for Youth, Carers, and Volunteers issued a formal apology for what she termed a “mistake,” announcing that she would cease providing such references moving forward. Speaking to reporters at the Victorian Parliament on Tuesday, the Member for Kororoit explained the oversight: “We didn’t have a process in place. People would ask for a character reference. I took them on face value and I provided a character reference. I should have done more before giving those character references.”
She elaborated that the references were intended for individuals seeking community roles, such as volunteers, or applying for jobs, housing, or awards. Ms Grigorovitch refuted claims that she did not know the six individuals personally, stating she was unaware of their problematic backgrounds until recently contacted by a journalist. “I have spoken to my office and today we plan on rescinding those references,” she confirmed.
While Ms Grigorovitch suggested that providing character references is a common practice among MPs, fellow minister Harriet Shing stated that she does not engage in this practice.
The Premier remains supportive of Ms Grigorovitch, a former state secretary of the Rail, Tram and Bus Union, who has faced prior scrutiny for her past associations with former Victorian CFMEU boss John Setka. “I have confidence in all of my ministers,” Premier Allan stated during lower house question time on Tuesday afternoon.
Opposition Calls for Sacking
The opposition has strongly criticised Ms Grigorovitch’s actions. Shadow Attorney-General James Newbury argued that the Minister is unfit for her position and should be removed.
“For a new member to have admitted to giving out 33 character references would probably go beyond what any member of parliament would … have ever given out,” Mr Newbury remarked. “For her to acknowledge that at least half a dozen were dodgy … says to you that she has a very, very poor judgment.”
Victorian Greens leader Ellen Sandell echoed concerns about the volume of references, describing 33 character references in fewer than four years as a “huge amount.”
This incident draws parallels with a scandal that affected the Victorian Liberals earlier in 2026. Businessman and prominent figure in the Indian community, Dinesh Gourisetty, withdrew from preselection for the upper house after it was revealed he had previously provided a character reference for an individual later convicted of child sex offences. This withdrawal subsequently allowed first-term MP Moira Deeming to secure the top position on the Liberal ticket for the Western Metropolitan Region in the state election held in November.
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