A newly promoted Victorian government minister has publicly apologised after it emerged she wrote approximately 33 character references — including for a taxi driver convicted of assaulting female passengers, two men accused of family violence, and an alleged supporter of a former Iranian supreme leader — without conducting basic background checks on any of them. Luba Grigorovitch, the member for Koroit, said on Monday night that she deeply regrets providing six of those references and has committed to never writing another one.
What the minister has said #
In a statement released Monday evening, Ms Grigorovitch confirmed she had provided “around 33” character references since entering parliament in late 2022 following a by-election for the seat of Koroit. She said six of those references were for individuals “that I now know I shouldn’t have” written them for.
“I sincerely apologise for providing these references without undertaking appropriate checks,” Ms Grigorovitch said in her statement. “I accept full responsibility for this error of judgement. I will not be writing character references in future.”
Ms Grigorovitch said she had not conducted so much as an internet search before writing the references, a disclosure that has drawn sharp criticism from victim advocates and opposition MPs alike. VCN understands the minister’s office is now reviewing the circumstances under which the references were solicited and provided.
Who the references were written for #
Among the six individuals Ms Grigorovitch says she now regrets writing for is a taxi driver who had been convicted of assaulting female passengers. The precise nature of those charges and the outcome of those proceedings are a matter of public court record, but VCN is not repeating identifying details of any complainants in accordance with Victorian law protecting victims of assault and sexual offences.
Two further references were written for men who, it is understood, were accused of family violence offences at the time the references were provided or had prior family violence histories known to authorities. It is not clear from the minister’s statement whether those men’s matters were before the courts when the references were written, or whether the references were used in those proceedings.
A third category of concern involves an individual described as a supporter of former Iranian supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Ms Grigorovitch has not elaborated publicly on the nature of that individual’s connection to her office or the purpose for which the character reference was sought.
VCN is not naming any of the individuals referenced in the minister’s statement at this time. The provision of a character reference does not constitute a legal finding about any person’s conduct, and none of the individuals referred to by the minister have been identified in public proceedings before this masthead.
Why character references from MPs carry particular weight #
Character references from elected officials carry significant weight in court proceedings and can influence sentencing outcomes, bail applications, and intervention order proceedings. Unlike references from friends or employers, a reference written on parliamentary letterhead — or even one that identifies the author as a sitting member of parliament — signals to a court that a person of public standing is vouching for the subject’s character.
Advocates working in family violence say this dynamic creates a particular risk when references are provided without scrutiny. “When someone in a position of institutional power writes a reference for a person who is before the court on family violence allegations, it can undermine a survivor’s safety,” one specialist family violence legal advocate, who asked not to be named, told VCN. “It sends a message — whether intended or not — that this person has community standing.”
Victorian courts can, and regularly do, give weight to character references in determining conditions of intervention orders, the seriousness of a breach, or the appropriate sentence for an offending-related matter. There is no formal vetting framework requiring MPs to check court records before writing references, though most major parties provide guidance to members on the risks.
The family violence dimension #
The revelation that at least two of the references were connected to men accused of family violence is particularly sensitive given Victoria’s decade-long reform effort following the 2016 Royal Commission into Family Violence. That commission, led by the Honourable Marcia Neave AO, produced 227 recommendations and fundamentally reshaped how the state approaches perpetrator accountability.
A central theme of the royal commission’s findings was that systemic minimisation of perpetrator behaviour — including by institutions and people in positions of authority — contributed directly to the ongoing risk faced by victim-survivors. While no suggestion has been made that Ms Grigorovitch acted with any intent to cause harm, the principle that authority figures must exercise heightened scrutiny before vouching for the character of those accused of violence against partners or family members sits at the heart of that reform agenda.
Safe Steps, Victoria’s 24-hour family violence crisis service, has previously told VCN that victim-survivors frequently report that character references provided by community figures contributed to their experience of not being believed or being placed at greater risk during legal proceedings.
Political fallout #
Ms Grigorovitch was elevated to the ministry in a recent cabinet reshuffle, making the timing of the disclosure politically uncomfortable for the Allan government. Opposition MPs have called for the premier to clarify whether she was aware of the references before the ministerial appointment was made, and whether the government has a policy on character references for ministers and backbenchers.
The premier’s office had not responded to VCN’s request for comment at the time of publication. A government spokesperson confirmed Ms Grigorovitch’s statement had been issued with the knowledge of the premier’s office.
The opposition has stopped short of calling for the minister’s resignation but has indicated it intends to pursue the matter during question time. Greens members have called for a formal parliamentary standard on the issue of character references.
What happens now #
Ms Grigorovitch has said she will not write further character references, and VCN understands she has sought advice from the Department of Premier and Cabinet on whether any of the existing references can be formally withdrawn or qualified. The legal position on withdrawing a filed character reference is not straightforward — once tendered in court proceedings, a document generally forms part of the record.
It is not yet known whether any of the references were used in active court proceedings, whether they influenced any judicial or quasi-judicial decision, or whether any of the relevant matters remain before the courts. VCN will continue to report on this matter as further information becomes available through official channels.
The minister’s office has been contacted for further comment on the process by which references were solicited, whether any were written on parliamentary letterhead, and whether any formal complaints have been received from victim-survivors or their legal representatives.
A broader conversation #
The controversy points to a gap in parliamentary governance that advocates say extends well beyond one member’s office. There is currently no whole-of-parliament policy in Victoria governing when MPs may or may not provide character references, no requirement to disclose such references publicly, and no mechanism for affected parties — including victim-survivors — to be notified that a reference has been provided.
Whether this episode prompts a formal policy response from the Allan government or the parliament’s integrity commissioner remains to be seen. What is clear is that the intersection of political authority and the justice system demands a higher standard of scrutiny than Ms Grigorovitch applied — a point she herself has now, belatedly, conceded.
The matter is the subject of ongoing parliamentary and public scrutiny. All persons charged with offences are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
If this article has raised concerns for you, support is available around the clock. Safe Steps (family violence crisis response): 1800 015 188. 1800RESPECT (national sexual assault and domestic violence counselling): 1800 737 732. Sexual Assault Crisis Line (Victoria): 1800 806 292. Lifeline (crisis support): 13 11 14. Beyond Blue: 1300 22 4636. 13YARN (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander crisis support): 13 92 76. Crime Stoppers: 1800 333 000.
