Branches suspended as Labor launches probe into stacking allegations

NSW Labor has appointed a former Queensland party secretary to lead an investigation into allegations of systemic branch stacking.

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EXCLUSIVE: NSW Labor has suspended the operation of five Sydney branches and appointed a former Queensland party secretary to lead the probe into allegations of long term systemic branch stacking.

The party has officially suspended meetings, new memberships and membership renewals in five Western Sydney branches unless a party official is present after a string of allegations were revealed by The Daily Telegraph relating to falsified branch books.

Labor Queensland State Secretary Evan Moorhead at Labor Party HQ during the Queensland election campaign. Picture: Annette Dew

The allegations were compiled initially in an anonymous whistleblower dossier spanning almost a decade, but within a week almost 50 party members had signed their name to a formal letter issuing charges under the party charter to those involved.

A marathon meeting of the party’s administrative committee on Friday was told former Queensland state secretary Evan Moorhead — a respected party figure — would lead the investigation into the branch stacking allegations.

He has been given terms of reference based on the 33-page dossier exposed in The Daily Telegraph and will report back to Labor early next year.

It can also be revealed membership renewals and transfers in the Granville Central, Park Hill, Granville East, Guildford and Harris Park branches have been frozen in response to the allegations.

Meetings for these branches have also been cancelled unless a party officer is present.

New members in the Granville SEC, Parramatta SEC and Auburn SEC will be referred to a membership subcommittee under the temporary measures.

NSW Labor Leader Jodi McKay was asked on Friday about stepping down the two frontbenchers under investigation over the branch stacking scandal, Julia Finn and Lynda Voltz.

Ms McKay declared: “Can I just say they have my full confidence”.

But she said there was an “independent review underway”.

Ms Finn and Ms Voltz have denied they were involved in branch stacking.

However almost 50 party members have signed official party charges relating to branch stacking and evidence has been presented which alleges to implicate the frontbenchers.

Originally published as Branches suspended as Labor launches probe into stacking allegations