The Victorian government wants police to investigate Liberal and National MPs for allegedly misusing electorate staff and rorting taxpayer funds but will not release evidence backing up the claims.
Deputy Premier James Merlino has written to Chief Commissioner Graham Ashton requesting an investigation days after the fraud squad launched a probe into Labor's 2014 election rorts-for-votes scandal.
Mr Merlino on Monday declined to release evidence to support his claims 18 past and present Liberal and National MPs - including shadow attorney-general John Pesutto and shadow treasurer Michael O'Brien - used electorate staff for political campaigning during normal business hours.
He also alleged numerous ministerial advisors did not take leave during the 2014 caretaker period and instead worked for then-state Liberal director Damien Mantach.
This allowed the Liberals access to about $2 million in public funds which should be repaid, Mr Merlino said.
"There is significant evidence we have provided to Victoria Police," he told reporters.
"I'm not going to provide specific examples but there (are) clear examples, whether it's photographic evidence, whether it's Facebook evidence, whether it's other sources of public information.
"It is now appropriately with Victoria Police to examine that evidence and determine their course of action."
Police confirmed they had received a request to investigate the payment of government ministerial staff during the 2014 campaign.
"This complaint will be assessed in the usual manner by Crime Command."
Liberal MP Tim Smith said he had seen no credible evidence to back up the government's claims.
"It is an offence, a criminal offence to make a false complaint to police," he added.
Mr Smith argued Labor was simply trying to deflect attention from the newly-announced fraud and extortion investigation into its winning 2014 election campaign.
In March, Victoria's Ombudsman Deborah Glass found 21 former and current Labor MPs systematically misused $388,000 of taxpayer funds, with publicly-paid electorate staff directed to campaign for candidates.
The money was later repaid and Premier Daniel Andrews apologised.
Police first looked at Labor's rorts-for-votes scandal in 2015 but declined to launch an investigation.
Their announcement on Friday of a criminal probe, four months out from the November 24 state election, followed a letter of complaint sent by Liberal MP Edward O'Donohue.
He put forward a motion for six government MPs identified in Ms Glass' report - including Attorney-General Martin Pakula and Corrections Minister Gayle Tierney - to stand down but the premier ruled this out.
