Victoria premier Ben Carroll is contacted by Australian police after driving off from a petrol station without paying

Only months ago, his predecessor Jacinta Allan told parliament that illegal drive-offs 'need to be prosecuted'. Carroll, 51, says he forgot to pay late on Monday while running errands, including returning his daughter's friend's pencil case. Officers were hunting for him while he met police commissioner Mike Bush and prime minister Anthony Albanese. He has since settled the bill, and no further action is expected.

Mike Bush insists an accidental drive-off is a 'civil matter unless it's proven otherwise'.

Carroll had spent Monday evening dealing with the reported assault on federal MP Helen Haines.

Police reached the premier through the Department of Parliamentary Services on Tuesday night.