Vic govt joins fight on ombudsman's powers

The Victorian government wants to join a Supreme Court legal case to test the powers of the state's ombudsman to investigate alleged Labor misuse of electorate staff during the 2014 election.

The announcement from Attorney-General Martin Pakula on Tuesday comes just a week after a lawyer for Premier Daniel Andrews told the court the government would not join the case.

Ombudsman Deborah Glass asked Victoria's Supreme Court on February 1 to rule on whether her office has the power to investigate Labor's use of electoral staff to run its 2014 election campaign, against parliamentary rules.

Premier Daniel Andrews has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing by Labor.

In November, the upper house voted to ask Ms Glass to investigate the claims.

Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings later wrote to Ms Glass, saying her office did not have the power to do so and prompting Ms Glass to apply to the court for a ruling.

On February 9, general counsel for Mr Andrews, Steve Palmer, told the Supreme Court the government would not join the case.

"There is no intention for Labor Party MPs to join the application," Mr Palmer said.

But in a statement on Tuesday afternoon, Mr Pakula said he had applied "to be joined as a party or to intervene in" Ms Glass' application.

"The matter before the court will effectively operate as a test case regarding the relationship between the ombudsman and the parliament, houses of the parliament and committees of the parliament," the statement said.

"Consequently, the government has determined that it is necessary that all relevant arguments be placed before the court, and is seeking the court's guidance as to the appropriate manner in which to do so."

A spokeswoman for Mr Pakula declined to comment further.

In response, Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said: "Victorians will be rightly suspicious of a premier trying to shut down an inquiry into Labor's rorting of taxpayers' money."

The case will return to court on March 8.