Premier Denis Napthine says a racehorse he co-owns with a wealthy businessman who received a $1.5 million government grant may soon have to retire.
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Dr Napthine has continued to deny any wrongdoing in relation to the grant given to Warrnambool business owner Colin McKenna.
He said the five-year-old mare Spin The Bottle, in which he owns a share with 10 others, may have to retire soon because her past few runs “have not been that flash".
“It might be that the mare is retired out of its own volition. It may have one or two runs left in it.”
Dr Napthine said on Wednesday the decision to award Midfield a $1.5 million grant to assist its expansion plans was made “at arm's length” from himself.
He said he met with meat processor Midfield Group in November - in his capacity as a local MP - and provided advice based on information from the Department of Premier and Cabinet.
Dr Napthine said that advice stated the meat processor should continue working with the City of Warrnambool and Regional Development Victoria.
“This decision was made on the recommendation of Regional Development Victoria by the Minister for State Development with no involvement from myself.”
He said Regional Development Victoria was following normal processes, and he said Midfield had also received grants from the former Labor government.
“This was a routine process used by Regional Development Victoria. I didn't know the process was taking place, I didn't know the time frame, I didn't know the officer involved. This is an absolute and utter nonsense."
It comes as the Warrnambool race track gears up for a Liberal Party/Napthine fund-raiser on Wednesday night.
Mr McKenna features in club promotions for the event, which will raise some money for a cancer charity the Premier is involved in with Mr McKenna.
On Wednesday The Age revealed Dr Napthine's own department was directly involved in recommending a grant to assist expansion plans by Mr McKenna.
It came as the Premier joined Prime Minister Tony Abbott to launch the National Disability Insurance Agency interim head office in Geelong.
“This is an exciting time for people with disabilities," he said. "But it is also an exciting time for people in Geelong."
He said the federal government was committed to the scheme, and he expected there would be no delays in its rollout. There has been speculation the national start date of 2018-19 could be put back, with a review of the scheme likening it to a "plane that took off before it was fully built”.
