Labor's Misused Public Funds

[Black Orchid]

State Ombudsman Deborah Glass has revealed 21 Victorian state Labor MPs misused public funds to the tune of $388,000 in the lead up to the 2014 election.

Ms Glass this morning released her report into whistleblowers' claims that taxpayer funds designed for the operation of electoral offices was misused.

The misused funds have been repaid with Premier Daniel Andrews saying the government was commited to "implementing each and every one of the recommendations".

The findings of the rorts-for-votes scandal have been released almost a year after the ombudsman started the investigation in April last year.

The Victorian government spent $1 million to try and stop the investigation into whether Labor breached parliamentary rules during its successful 2014 election campaign.

Taxpayer funds designed for the operation of electorate offices was instead paid to staff to join the party's "red shirts" brigade, taking the Labor message to the community, whistleblowers alleged.

"It was a well organised campaign to recruit and employ full-time field organisers in the run up to the 2014 state election," Ms Glass said.

"21 people were employed part-time as electorate officers with $388,000 out of parliamentary funds. I make no criticism of the campaign or the field organisers, some of who did do some electorate officer work.

"But the arrangement to employ field organisers as electorate officers, was an artifice to secure partial payment for the campaign out of public funds, and it was wrong."

Ms Glass said the Labor Party had since paid back the misused funds.

"Trust in our politicians is declining and diminishing further with allegations of misuse of public funds," she said.

The upper house asked Ms Glass to investigate whether Labor breached the rules after reports the party used electorate office funds to pay 26 staff for two days a week of campaigning at the 2014 state election.

The move would not "pass the pub test" among voters, an internal report found.

Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings wrote to Ms Glass to say her office didn't have the power to investigate, so the matter went to the Supreme Court, which gave the ombudsman the go-ahead.

The government tried, and failed, to fight the ruling in the Court of Appeal and High Court.

https://www.9news.com.au/national/2018/ ... t-released

Well the $388,000 has been paid back but what about the $1 million to try to stop the investigation? That is what bothers me more.

What say you LW?

[The Mechanic]

if you stole approx 1.5 million dollars from a bank...

then got caught..

would you simply pay the many back and walk off Scott free???

the entire Andrews government needs to be sacked and we go to an election NOW

all those caught out in the fraud need not recentest their seats and are criminally charged !!

[Black Orchid]

In the real world that is how things work. Pollies don't live in the 'real' world though and are allowed to act with impunity and are even rewarded for their misdeeds.

[The Grappler]

Nothing new from a class of being that feels an absolute entitlement to utilise everything to pay for their own way, so they can be treated like royalty and preserve their sacred salary intact for their own use.

Only workers in this nation, apart from the fat cat business pirates, who get a free ride on everything.

It's no wonder they over-step the boundaries constantly - shows the rules need to be tight as a drum with no loop holes.

For example Tony Abbott got the green light in writing from Big Mal to use travel allowances for any business to which he was invited as an ex PM -the loop hole is ANY business, so he goes to party meetings, football games, virtually everything and such free as an 'ex PM'. Amazing but true, and 'within the rules'.

Whole thing needs to be stamped out NOW, and the rules so tight these thieves can't continue to take.

[Black Orchid]

I agree that the whole things needs stamping out. Our pollies all feel overly entitled and they do nothing, absolutely NOTHING, to deserve such entitlements.

Salary reductions, massive pension cuts and scrutinise pension entitlements period. NO foreign donations. They are there to serve us and not one of them has done that for many a year. All any of them do is sell us out.

Dastyari, for instance, should be in jail and not living high off the hog for his treason.

Australians really are too complacent. By the time they get their energy together to do something it will be too late and in certain parts of Australia it is already beyond too late.

[The Mechanic]

why isn't there a body that investigates these things and recommends criminals charges to be laid??

im sure we have an office of "Integrity"

[Black Orchid]

Disgraced former Labor powerbroker Eddie Obeid has been ordered to pay back close to $1 million in legal fees and his taxpayer-funded pension after he lost his final bid to get out of jail.

Nine News reports that Obeid will be forced to repay his pension, which amounts to about $660,000, as well as about $280,000 in taxpayer-funded legal assistance.

Attorney-General Mark Speakman confirmed the government will seek to obtain the funds from Obeid, and said NSW taxpayers “deserve their money back”.

Obeid has collected $120,000 a year in pension funds since he quit politics in 2011.

The Lebanon-born former MP was found guilty of misconduct in public office in 2016 for lobbying a senior bureaucrat over his family’s secret business interests at Circular Quay. He was sentenced to five years behind bars, but will be eligible for parole in 2019.

https://startsat60.com/news/politics/ed ... an-pension

One step in the right direction.

[LEFTWINGER supreme]

Maybe you can flick off an email to your messiahs rtards and ask them why they don't or won't support a national integrity commission

[IQS.RLOW]

Maybe you can flick off an email to your messiahs rtards and ask them why they don't or won't support a national integrity commission

What was that previous national commision that the ALP set up as essential because of teh workchoices boogeyman? Oh yeah, the fair work commission that is suddenly no longer any use because you retards like setting up "independent" umpires and stacking them with flunkies but throw your toys out the cot when you don't get the results you want.

It's only been 10 years of "fair work" and already Sally McManarse wants to change the system her side introduced. You lot can't even agree with how soon you can make everyone unemployed. You only argue about how hard you should be fucking employers.

[LEFTWINGER supreme]

Why do Liberals oppose a national integrity commission ?