VICTORIA'S police crisis has embroiled the office of Premier John Brumby after three connections were made to the Government during hearings in Melbourne on Friday.
The Office of Police Integrity has heard suspended police media director Stephen Linnell telling MrBrumby's adviser Sharon McCrohan about a private Office of Police Integrity hearing, even though he was sworn to secrecy.
Mr Linnell is heard saying: "We were sitting there and I said, 'I'm just a bit worried, Shazz.' She goes, 'Oh, what about?' She, oh, she goes, 'Are there any more corruption things to come out?"'
On the tape Mr Linnell says MsMcCrohan suggests they meet for coffee. There has been no comment from the Premier's office, and no indication whether she then told Mr Brumby.
The inquiry also heard that Police Association secretary Paul Mullett, who is expected to be called tomorrow, had strong links with the Premier's office.
Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon's former deputy chief of staff, Brett Curran, was given unpaid leave to work in the office of police minister Bob Cameron, causing more division in the force's top brass.
The Office of Police Integrity does not have power to investigate the Government. The Victorian Opposition has been calling for an independent anti-corruption body with a wider focus than just police.
On Thursday, Mr Brumby again rejected calls for an over-arching investigative body into corruption, saying it would be a waste of money.
The inquiry has already landed a major blow to Victoria Police, alleging a network of corruption that extends to the "upper echelon" of the force.
Former Assistant Commissioner Noel Ashby resigned on Friday after two days of embarrassing testimony and dozens of tape recordings revealed deep divisions and acts of disloyalty within force command.
Throughout the inquiry he has maintained he never passed on information regarding a criminal inquiry.
"I might have done a lot of things wrong over this period of time, but I haven't passed on information of that nature," he said.
But in damning phone taps he is repeatedly heard swearing about superiors and spreading gossip. He is heard saying: "Mate, there's people doing life sentences because of the shit I've done."