During last year’s state election campaign, Dr Napthine was forced to defend himself against allegations in the paper about his involvement with Midfield boss Colin McKenna and the company’s expansion plans.

The claims were made after information was leaked to the newspaper by an unknown person or persons who had attended a confidential council meeting on February 10 which referred to talks between Dr Napthine and the company.

Although the story was not a good look for Dr Napthine, no convincing evidence was presented to suggest that he had done anything other than play by the rules when his government approved a $1.5 million regional development grant to Midfield.

Further claims that his shared interest with the meat tycoon and others in a horse called Spin The Bottle were suggestive of a cosy relationship were greeted with incredulity by Dr Napthine and laughed off by Mr McKenna. 

Nevertheless it was incendiary stuff for the then-premier during a hard-fought campaign — and all because someone at the council thought it a good idea to breach confidentiality and suggest that something underhand might be occurring. It wasn’t. Even the Opposition Leader at the time, Daniel Andrews, wasn’t interested in nailing his rival on the issue.

An investigation into the leak has revealed two things: firstly that councillors Brian Kelson, Peter Hulin and Peter Sycopoulis met an Age journalist on the eve of the newspaper’s first explosive piece scrutinising Dr Napthine’s integrity and, secondly, that it could not prove beyond reasonable doubt that any of the three leaked the information.

The inspectorate has ruled that no further action be taken. Dr Napthine, however, must be itching to ask the trio just what exactly was the nature of that “council business’’ discussed with The Age the day before its story.