Victorian minister under fire for writing 33 character references including for taxi driver who assaulted women
Victorian minister Luba Grigorovitch says she regrets six of about 33 character references and will never write another.
Intelligence analysis by GPT-5.4 Mini
Grigorovitch apologised after disclosures that she wrote references for people later linked to serious offending, including a former taxi driver who assaulted women. The episode has triggered fresh questions about ministerial judgment and the lack of vetting in her office.
A Victorian minister admitted she wrote letters saying nice things about people, but later learned some of them had done bad things. One of them was a taxi driver who had hurt women.
It is like recommending a classmate for a team without checking if they cheated before. The letter can sound helpful, but if it is wrong, it can cause real trouble.
She said sorry and promised not to write any more of these letters. Other politicians said she showed poor judgment and should not be in the job.
Analysis
What happened
Victorian minister for youth, carers and volunteers Luba Grigorovitch said she had written “around 33” character references since becoming the member for Koroit in late 2022. She said six of those references were for people she later realised she should not have supported, and she apologised, promising not to provide any more.
The cases mentioned
The article says one reference went to Muhammad Isa, a former taxi driver convicted of indecently assaulting female passengers in 2013. Grigorovitch had written that she knew him for several years and could attest to his character, integrity and contribution to the community. According to the tribunal decision cited by the paper, Isa conceded she was unaware of his past offending when she wrote the reference, and his appeal was rejected.
The Guardian also reports that she wrote another reference in 2024 for a 38-year-old Pakistani citizen who had challenged a visa refusal linked to past domestic violence offending. Grigorovitch said the remaining four references she regretted involved private individuals and she would not give details.
Her explanation
Grigorovitch said the people she wrote for were community volunteers who were trying to rebuild their lives, find work or housing. She admitted her office had no vetting process and said her judgment was not good enough. She also said she knew the people through community work and that some may have been Labor members, though she said she was not aware of union affiliation.
Political fallout
The opposition’s James Newbury said the revelations showed she was not fit to be a minister and should be sacked. Greens leader Ellen Sandell said it was common sense not to write references for people you do not know personally. Another Victorian minister, Harriet Shing, said she had never made character references and took the matter seriously.
Key points
- Luba Grigorovitch said she had written around 33 character references since late 2022.
- She said six of those references were for people she now believes she should not have supported.
- One reference was for a former taxi driver convicted of indecently assaulting female passengers.
- She said her office had no vetting process and that she would not write character references again.
- Opposition and Greens figures said the episode showed poor judgment.
If her promise holds, the minister may stop a practice that could accidentally lend support to unsuitable people. The public apology and admission of no vetting could also push her office or the wider government to tighten its checks.
The episode has already damaged confidence in her judgment, and the criticism could deepen calls for her removal. If there is still no proper vetting culture, similar mistakes could happen again and create further political fallout.
