Vic premier says his job is safe

Victoria's premier maintains his job is safe after reporting his office to the anti-corruption body. Source: AAP

VICTORIAN Premier Ted Baillieu insists he and deputy Peter Ryan will continue in their roles following the leaking of tapes involving a key adviser and former aide from their offices.

The secret phone recordings and receipts reveal Mr Ryan's former adviser Tristan Weston was paid $22,500 by the Liberal Party after he quit the deputy premier's office, according to information published by the Herald Sun.

Speculation has emerged Mr Baillieu might be asked to step aside, but after meeting his colleagues on Tuesday, he said his leadership was safe.

Mr Baillieu said he had the backing of the coalition party room and Mr Ryan, who is leader of The Nationals, would "absolutely" remain as deputy premier.

"We don't have any changes planned," Mr Baillieu said.

He said he was confident he would still be leader come the 2014 November state election.

"We don't talk about what we discuss in the party room," he told reporters.

"I don't know what commentary has been made but we are working together."

Planning Minister Matthew Guy, who is widely considered a potential future leader, has voiced support for Mr Baillieu.

"I don't believe there's a crisis for the government. I think there's issues to be managed and we're going to do that," Mr Guy told ABC Radio.

Mr Baillieu on Monday referred the tapes to the anti-corruption commission chief to determine whether an investigation was needed.

On a tape published by the Herald Sun website, the premier's chief of staff Tony Nutt can reportedly be heard promising to help Mr Weston find another job.

During another recorded conversation, leaked to Fairfax Radio, the state director of the Liberal Party Damien Mantach can reportedly be heard telling Mr Weston he had been "hung out to dry".

He reportedly said on the tapes that while Mr Weston was in a small way to blame for his own demise, he was the victim of a Liberal-National crossfire.

Mr Weston quit Mr Ryan's office in October 2011 after the Office of Police Integrity found he was involved in a plot to dethrone the former police commissioner Simon Overland.

Mr Guy poured cold water on the leadership speculation as he attended Tuesday's meeting.

"The party is behind Ted and we'll move on," he said.

He added that Mr Baillieu had acted appropriately by referring the secret tape involving Mr Nutt to the Independent Broad-Based Anti-corruption Commission.

"There has been situations in the past where other ministerial offices have been looked at, whether it's by the ombudsman, whether it's by a range of bodies, so I think people should take a cold shower," Mr Guy said.

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