Signed complaint over systemic branch stacking lodged with Labor HQ with 45 names attached
Formal complaints with 45 signatures have been officially lodged with NSW Labor HQ alleging systemic branch stacking and calling for shadow state ministers and a federal MP to be stood aside.
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Formal complaints with 45 signatures have been officially lodged with NSW Labor HQ – alleging systemic branch stacking and calling for shadow state ministers and a federal MP to be stood aside.
The Daily Telegraph has seen a signed receipt of the lodgement of the complaint.
Last week, when the allegations were put to Labor HQ and NSW shadow ministers Lynda Voltz and Julia Finn, all pointed to the fact that they were from an anonymous whistleblower.
The addition now of 45 signatures changes that.
It comes as a separate and unrelated video of Labor left powerbroker and former federal MP Laurie Ferguson — the man at the centre of the branch stacking allegations — emerged this week showing him yelling an anti-immigration insult at Liberal campaign volunteers.
The NSW arm of the Labor Party is descending into civil war over the allegations surrounding the activities of the Ferguson faction after federal leader Anthony Albanese and state leader Jodi McKay asked party HQ to investigate the 33-page whistleblower dossier last week.
The fresh complaints now lodged with Labor HQ request the party’s powerful Administrative Committee suspend the memberships of NSW frontbenchers Ms Finn and Ms Voltz, federal MP Julie Owens and powerbroker Mr Ferguson.
Ms Finn and Ms Voltz have both denied the allegations. Mr Ferguson told Channel 7 “there are a number of people who are unhappy with not being selected to certain positions” and 7 reported he denied the allegations. Ms Owens has never responded to The Daily Telegraph’s inquiries. Mr Lynch said he had “no knowledge or involvement in the Granville Branches”.
The unrelated video — which is not the subject of a complaint but has been released to the Telegraph — shows Mr Ferguson on the eve of the federal election yelling at Liberal Party members of Italian and Lebanese descent “don’t talk to us, you idiot — we let you in the country, you moron”.
Mr Ferguson in a text message on Monday night apologised for the remarks, but noted it was a row over election signage.
“They have failed to send preceding video material of their confederates ripping down our election bunting and replacing it with theirs.
“This is an electoral offence. I was naturally upset. I regret my actions and apologise.”
The Liberal Party members denied they had ripped down the signage.
An earlier portion of the video shows Mr Ferguson agreeing with the Liberals he had pulled down signage “after you covered my area”.
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There are two separate complaint documents relating to the branch stacking allegations which were set to be sent to Labor Acting General Secretary Bob Nanva this week.
One is a motion passed by the Granville Day Branch on Sunday condemning the alleged actions of Mr Ferguson, Ms Finn, Ms Owens, Ms Voltz, shadow minister Paul Lynch and other councillors and officials calling for their expulsion and listing formal charges under the party charter.
The second complaint is a formal charge letter, with charges laid by registered party members pertaining to branch stacking.
In addition to naming the MPs, councillors and branch bosses it alleges to have partaken in the conduct outlined in the dossier, this letter also names close to 50 people it alleges have falsely signed branch attendance books or not paid for their own membership.
In total, it is understood 65 people have been charged under the letter lodged.
“As loyal and dedicated rank and file branch members we have previously sacrificed our time and effort, letterboxing, standing on polling booths, and promoting the Labor Party message over a period of many years and decades,” the letter says.
“To now be informed that our party is involved in such corruption is a devastating and embarrassing blow to our morale and severely damages the reputation and efforts of the party units and the good people who serve it.”
The letter also calls for the attendance books and minutes books to be seized from Granville Central Branch, Granville East Park Hill Branch, Guildford Branch and Harris Park Branch.