The Andrews government lost its fourth minister to a branch stacking scandal yesterday, on the first day of a corruption inquiry that heard the practice was “out of control” in Victorian Labor.
The public hearings began on Monday and are investigating allegations of what counsel assisting the commission described as “premeditated systemic rorting of taxpayer resources”.
Aged Care Minister Luke Donnellan quit the ministry after federal Labor MP Anthony Byrne accused him in the hearings of paying party membership fees on behalf of others as part of a branch-stacking operation led by fallen powerbroker Adem Somyurek.
Branch stacking refers to the practice of politicians, candidates, and factional operatives shoring up their internal party influence by paying for the membership fees of members, who then vote along factional lines to support preferred candidates in preselection.
Branch stacking itself is not illegal, but it is against Labor Party rules. The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission is investigating the potential rort of taxpayer funds for branch-stacking purposes.
Mr Donnellan says he accepts he “previously breached party rules while a minister” but insists he “never misused public funds or resources in any way”.
More on the situation in Victoria here.