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The Guardian - AU
The Guardian - AU
National
Benita Kolovos Victorian state correspondent

Victorian minister regrets character references for taxi driver who assaulted women, DV accused men and Iran regime supporter

Luba Grigorovitch Labor John Setka Harriet Shing Jacinta Allan Guardian Australia
The minister for youth, carers and volunteers, Luba Grigorovitch, right, with the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan
The minister for youth, carers and volunteers, Luba Grigorovitch, right, with the Victorian premier, Jacinta Allan. Photograph: Joel Carrett/AAP

Newly promoted Victorian government minister Luba Grigorovitch has apologised for writing 33 character references – including for a taxi driver convicted of assaulting female passengers, two men accused of family violence and a supporter of former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei – without so much as a Google search.

Grigorovitch issued a statement on Monday night confirming that, since becoming the member for Koroit in late 2022, she had provided “around 33” character references, including to six individuals “that I now know I shouldn’t have”.

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