Cassandra Morgan, AAP
Victorian Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio has denied any wrongdoing over allegations of fake members within a Labor branch said to have met in her electorate office.
The Australian newspaper on Tuesday reported the signatures of at least two dead people were forged for membership renewals to the Lalor South branch.
The two men died in 2017, but leaked records indicate their memberships were renewed in May 2018 and 2019, meaning they remained members until May 2020.
Records also showed just 13 of the 132 branch members remain registered after an extensive audit in 2020, sparked by branch stacking revelations by another Labor faction.
The branch was the only one in Victoria where non-traceable means were used to pay for 100 per cent of membership fees, and 113 members were charged the minimum fee of $35 for concession card holders.
Ms D’Ambrosio, who is a member of Labor’s powerful socialist left faction, insisted she had always abided by the rules.
“There is no wrongdoing here,” she told reporters at parliament on Tuesday.
Ms D’Ambrosio said if the branch stacking “inferences” did form part of the 2020 review, led by Labor stalwarts Jenny Macklin and Steve Bracks, neither the allegations nor any findings were put to her then.
She refused to comment on who could have forged the signatures, saying she hadn’t been a member of the branch for years.
However, it is alleged the branch held meetings in her Mill Park electorate office.
Premier Daniel Andrews on Tuesday stood by his minister and factional ally.
“I don’t think I’ve ever met anybody more focused on their duties than her,” he said.
“She’s a person of character and integrity.”
Mr Andrews would not be drawn on whether the inferences should be referred to an integrity agency for investigation.
“Integrity agencies don’t need referrals,” he said.
“They’re not sitting around every morning having co ffee and toast waiting for a referral.
“T hey are able to do their job and they do their job, as has been very well evidenced over a long period of time.”
In 2020 the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission and the Victorian Ombudsman launched an investigation over allegations of ‘industrial-scale’ branch-stacking within the state Labor party.
Former Labor minister Adem Somyurek was accused of handing over cash and using parliamentary employees to create fake branch members, in a bid to amass political influence.
The practice is not illegal, but it is against Labor party rules.
Mr Somyurek was immediately sacked as a minister and quit the party, while factional allies Robin Scott and Marlene Kairouz resigned from cabinet.
In 2021, Luke Donnellan became the fourth ministerial casualty after then-federal MP Anthony Byrne told the inquiry the pair paid for the Labor memberships of others.
The Operation Watts final report exposed unethical and ina ppropriate behaviour within Labor, including bullying, taxpayer-funded jobs for unqualified people to undertake factional work, rampant nepotism and forging of signatures.
It also stated branch-stacking within Victorian Labor was not limited to Mr Somyurek’s moderate faction, but noted proof of the broader problem was more anecdotal.
Mr Andrews apologised after the report’s release and confirmed his government would accept all 21 recommendations and pursue additional legislative measures to change how all parties operate.
