More trouble in Victoria

[Black Orchid]

The Liberal Party's Victorian director says he wants "detailed responses" from party members allegedly linked to branch-stacking, after Channel Nine aired allegations against a conservative powerbroker connected to federal minister Michael Sukkar and veteran MP Kevin Andrews.

Nine reports allege party powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan directed taxpayer-funded electorate officers to recruit party members to boost factional numbers while they were working in Mr Andrews' office.

Mr Sukkar, the Assistant Treasurer and Housing Minister, is not alleged to have been actively involved in stacking Liberal branches, but the reports allege he benefited from it.

Mr Andrews said he had referred allegations regarding staff in his office to the Secretary of the Department of Finance for independent review.

The former minister and member for Menzies, in Melbourne's north-east, said the Nine reports made a number of allegations that were false.

"The suggestion that I would be coerced into making decisions on staffing arrangements in my Electorate Office by others is untrue,'' he said.

"As 'Father of the House' my integrity and my reputation mean everything."

Mr Sukkar said he "completely rejects" the allegations made.

https://www.abc.net.au/news/2020-08-24/ ... s/12587824

[Redneck]

I think it is a common practice in both parties!

[Black Orchid]

They're all cut from the same cloth. They'd have to be to even want to be a politician.

[cods]

make it a crime.....where when caught thats it career over its JAIL time..

as a voter I say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH...

as red said its rampant through all parties.. and then they lie about it until it goes away..

[sprintcyclist]

make it a crime.....where when caught thats it career over its JAIL time..

as a voter I say ENOUGH IS ENOUGH...

as red said its rampant through all parties.. and then they lie about it until it goes away..

yes

[Juliar]

The WOKE Socialists' outraged indignation will be replaced by humiliation as the TRUTH is revealed.

GetUp!'s flimsy fabricated case against the Vic Libs is falling apart as each day passes.

As always Labor is the Traditional home of Branch Stacking and, of course, Corruption.



Vic Liberals not 'caught in the act' like Vic Labor were in branch-stacking fiasco
24/08/2020

The allegations of branch-stacking in the Victorian Liberal party were “quite different from the exposé we saw about the Victorian Labor party where we had a minister effectively being caught in the act,” according to Liberal MP Trent Zimmerman.

Secret recordings and leaked files exposed Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar and party-elder Kevin Andrews in an alleged branch-stacking scandal with power-broker Marcus Bastiaan, giving taxpayer funded jobs to operatives who could recruit.

Both Mr Sukkar and Mr Andrews denied the allegations, however an investigation was launched into the matter.

'What both members have done is firstly indicate they don’t think there has been any wrongdoing on their part and secondly referred it to the Department of Finance for an independent review," Mr Zimmerman said.

“The type of behaviour that we saw exposed last night by those organisational figures is something the party can’t tolerate because the type of industrial scale branch-stacking that was proposed could destroy the party”.

https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6183890378001



Victorian Liberal leader welcomes Bastiaan resignation
24/08/2020

Victorian Opposition leader Michael O’Brien says former Liberal powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan’s resignation is “the right outcome”.

Mr Bastiaan resigned from the party after allegations of branch stacking.

A Nine network report claims Mr Bastiaan directed taxpayer funded electoral offices to boost factional numbers by recruiting Liberal Party members.

Mr Bastiaan denies the allegations but concedes comments aired in the report were foolish and stupid.

“Those activities are just not acceptable in the Liberal Party, and the Liberal Party has taken action,” Mr O’Brien said.

“Mr Bastiaan is gone and that’s the right outcome.”

https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6183919077001




PM going to 'stick by' Michael Sukkar amid branch-stacking allegations
24/08/2020

Sky News Political Editor Andrew Clennell says Scott Morrison is going to “stick by” Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar amid allegations of branch-stacking within the Victorian Liberal Party.

Secret recordings and leaked files exposed Mr Sukkar and party-elder Kevin Andrews as allegedly being involved in the scheme with power-broker Marcus Bastiaan.

Mr Sukkar and Mr Bastiaan allegedly established a powerful faction in Mr Andrews' officer and were granting taxpayer-funded positions to operatives who could recruit.

Mr Clennell told Sky News the Prime Minister “doesn’t think there’s enough in the report to warrant any sort of removal of the minister or any sort of discipline for that matter”.

“It basically hinges on two words doesn’t it, [an] alleged email which points to knowledge that he might have or a memo that electorate officers in Kevin Andrews’ office were actually working on branch stacking which they’re not allowed to do,” he said.

“That [Sukkar] said ‘good summary’ in reply , that’s all it pretty much hinges on.

“Essentially the feeling in government is they can ride this one out with Sukkar, there’s no smoking gun it’s just an allegation and obviously the view of the public is well all parties branch stack, which is quite true frankly, one man’s branch recruitment is another man’s branch stack.

“It’s the issue I guess of taxpayer funds being used in that endeavour which is the issue here.”

https://www.skynews.com.au/details/_6183900759001



And, in a boost to the Vic Libs,

PREMIER RULES OUT STEPPING DOWN BEFORE 2022
Premier Daniel Andrews has slapped down rumours that he would step down, saying he will lead Labor at the 2022 state election. It comes amid reports of growing discontent among state MPs.

https://www.heraldsun.com.au/subscribe/ ... de=premium