Victorian minister under fire for writing 33 character references including for taxi driver who assaulted women

Newly promoted Victorian government minister Luba Grigorovitch says she will never write another character reference after revealing she regrets six she has penned, including one for a taxi driver convicted of assaulting female passengers. Grigorovitch issued a statement on Monday night confirming that, since she became the member for Koroit in late 2022, she had provided “around 33” character references, including six “to individuals that I now know I shouldn’t have”. “At the time I provided these references, I was not aware of their history. I will no longer provide character references and I apologise for any offence I have caused.” This included two separate character references for constituents who had fought federal government decisions to revoke their visas for failing the character test. The Herald Sun last week reported Grigorovitch provided a character reference to Muhammad Isa, a former taxi driver who indecently assaulted female passengers in 2013. According to a transcript of the administrative review tribunal decision, seen by Guardian Australia, Grigorovitch had written she had known Isa for “several years” and could “confidently attest to his character, integrity, and contribution to the Australian community”. Sign up for the Breaking News Australia email However, the ART’s May decision noted Isa had conceded Grigorovitch was “unaware of his past offending” when she had written the reference. …