A desperate push from former Labor MP Adem Somyurek to have the party’s red shirts rort investigaxjmtzywted for a second time has gained momentum among Victorian MPs.
Labelled the “biggest political scandal in Victoria’s history”, Labor’s misuse of almost $400,000 in taxpayer funds during the 2014 election campaign has again been thrust into the spotlight, with Mr Somyurek to introduce a motion to parliament for the state’s watchdog to probe the matter further.
The scandal was initially investigated by the Ombudsman in 2018 but did not progress to any criminal charges or referral to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog.
Mr Somyurek said the matter needed to be further examined.
“The Ombudsman handed down a scathing report but did not refer to the matter as corrupt,” he said.
“We participated in the biggest political scandal in Victoria’s history and benefited by winning office.”
The motion will request the Ombudsman investigate the role Premier Daniel Andrews had in “designing, propagating and facilitating” the scheme while he was opposition leader in 2014.
It has also asked for a probe into potential branch stacking activities, the Premier’s social media unit staff, the monetising of factional politics, and electoral officers and ministerial advisers performing factional tasks during work hours.
While some MPs this week, notably the Victorian Greens and Victoria’s Reason Party, signalled they would not support the motion, it has received backing from others.
Reason Party leader Fiona Patten on Tuesday confirmed she would likely not support the motion, claiming the move from Mr Somyurek was an attempt at revenge.
The former Labor MP was forced to resign from the Labor Party amid allegations he was involved in branch stacking, and he has since faced IBAC hearings claiming widespread corruption within his former party.
“Corruption is corruption but this just seems to be a man on a mission to seek revenge,” Ms Patten said.
Labor was forced to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars after the Ombudsman’s initial inquiry found it had paid casual electorate officers to don red shirts and campaign for the party in marginal seats during the 2014 state election, using $388,000 of taxpayer money.
While Mr Andrews previously responded to allegations Mr Somyurek aired during the state’s IBAC Operation Watts hearings last year, on Tuesday he refused to comment.
Asked about Mr Somyurek’s move to bring the scandal before parliament again, Mr Andrews maintained a straight face.
“I’ve got no comment to make on that,” he said.
“Those matters are for the Legislative Council.”
