Labor Party review will return power to 'true believers': Andrews - The Age

"There's no democracy if you can't have faith and trust in the voters' roll."

The party review will require every member of the Victorian Labor Party to ratify their membership and prove they are "genuine", after The Age and 60 Minutes this week revealed the branch stacking practices of axed powerbroker Adem Somyurek, in which he allegedly paid the sign-up fees of new members in return for their support.

Answering a question on whether suspending preselections for three years was non-democratic, Mr Andrews said it was the necessary period to "re-establish the equity of the voting rolls".

He said that process will include ensuring members reaffirm their commitment to the party by signing up again, paying their membership by traceable means and paying for it themselves.

"Cleaning this up will take some time, and you have got to break the business model of those who would seek to undermine the integrity of our systems," the Premier said.

"If we just have a pause for a few months then I can't be guaranteed, we can't be guaranteed, that we will get the profound reform we need."

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Former Victorian premier Steve Bracks and long-time federal frontbencher Jenny Macklin have been appointed as administrators of the state division until January 31, 2021, as they lead the review.

It will mean candidates at the next federal and state elections will be preselected by the national executive.

In a letter to the executive, Mr Andrews said he had "no confidence in the integrity of any voting rolls" produced in Victoria.

"Accordingly, we must suspend those elections and begin a long and critical process of validating each and every member of the Labor Party in Victoria as genuine, consenting and self-funded," he wrote.

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Marlene Kairouz on Tuesday became the third minister to leave cabinet over the branch-stacking scandal, after factional allies Adem Somyurek and Robin Scott left the ministry on Monday.

Mr Somyurek was sacked as Local Government and Small Business Minister and lost his Labor Party membership on Monday. He denies the branch stacking allegations.

Mr Scott and Ms Kairouz vowed to clear their names but said they didn't want to cause a distraction for the government or add to their families' distress.

The Premier said he was not concerned by The Age's revelation on Wednesday that Mr Scott signed off on nearly $1 million worth of grants issued to organisations linked to alleged branch stackers and ALP staffers during his four-year stint as Minister for Multicultural Affairs.

"All grants are determined on advice from the department and after a thorough process that is run by the relevant department ... I believe that is the appropriate way to go," Mr Andrews said.

Opposition leader Michael O'Brien accused Mr Andrews of losing control of his party, claiming he was leading a "government that is in crisis".

"This is what you start to see when a government is on its way out," Mr O'Brien told reporters on Wednesday morning.

"They've lost interest in Victorians, they've lost focus on Victoria's concerns. It's all about themselves."

with AAP

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Daniel Andrews spoke to reporters about the full review into the Victorian Labor Party on Wednesday morning.Credit:Getty Images

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https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMif2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LnRoZWFnZS5jb20uYXUvcG9saXRpY3MvdmljdG9yaWEvbGFib3ItcGFydHktcmV2aWV3LXdpbGwtcmV0dXJuLXBvd2VyLXRvLXRydWUtYmVsaWV2ZXJzLWFuZHJld3MtMjAyMDA2MTctcDU1M2RrLmh0bWzSAX9odHRwczovL2FtcC50aGVhZ2UuY29tLmF1L3BvbGl0aWNzL3ZpY3RvcmlhL2xhYm9yLXBhcnR5LXJldmlldy13aWxsLXJldHVybi1wb3dlci10by10cnVlLWJlbGlldmVycy1hbmRyZXdzLTIwMjAwNjE3LXA1NTNkay5odG1s?oc=5

2020-06-17 00:59:48Z
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