ERROL PARKER | Editor-at-large | Contact
Freshly minted Victorian Premier Ben Carroll is being accused of underhandedness below his station this week after it emerged that photographs depicting him and former Premier Daniel Andrews together have been altered.
Carroll's office strenuously denied any wrongdoing, as is the custom, and said the image in question of him strolling the banks of the Yarra River has not been modified in any way.
"The imputation that Mr Carroll is trying to distance himself from Dan Andrews is categorically inoffensive and downright defamatory," said Carroll's media advisor.
"That image has not been altered in any way. We reject the premise of your question. That is all."
The news comes as Victorian Labor hope to turn things around after polls from earlier this month showed they were to be reduced to minor party status at the November state election, prompting the change in leadership this week.
The original image of Ben Carroll and Dan Andrews strolling the Yarra River was smuggled out of Victoria inside a film canister that a truck driver placed up his back passage. The Abbotsford Bridge border crossing near Mildura was chosen for the mission, owing partly to its isolation.
Carefully removed and examined at the Shell Truckstop toilets in Buronga, the original image was scanned using Adobe Scan and sent via Tor Browser to the ABC.
The image shows Ben Carroll and Dan Andrews together, whereas the official image from the Democratic People's Republic of Northside Melbourne politburo shows Carroll alone.
Dan Andrews was unavailable for comment when approached by The Advocate today.
More to come.
