Tania Mihailuk accuses Labor Mayor Khal Asfour of being ‘tainted’, calls for investigation

NSW Labor leader Chris Minns is under pressure to “back” frontbencher Tania Mihailuk or “sack” her, following the MP’s extraordinary attack on a member of her own party.

Labor leader Chris Minns is under pressure to “back” frontbencher Tania Mihailuk or “sack” her, following the Bankstown MP’s extraordinary attack on her own party.

It comes after Ms Mihailuk accused her faction of endorsing a “tainted” candidate for the Upper House.

Mr Minns still had not spoken to Ms Mihailuk about her allegations on Wednesday afternoon, after she slammed Labor’s Right faction over its decision to endorse Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour for the Legislative Council.

Describing her statement as a “rebuke” of her own faction, Ms Mihailuk accused Mr Asfour of “unprincipled actions in furthering the interests of developers and identities”.

Under parliamentary privilege on Tuesday night, Ms Mihailuk said the scandal over former Deputy Premier John Barilaro’s plum New York posting “pales into significance” compared to decisions of the Canterbury-Bankstown council during Mr Asfour’s time as mayor.

Bankstown Labor MP Tania Mihailuk could be without a seat at the election following a redistribution. Picture: Tim Hunter.

Mr Minns initially refused to refer the matter to the Independent Commission Against Corruption, saying that he needed to speak with Ms Mihailuk about her allegations.

On Wednesday afternoon he told 2GB that he still had not spoken to her.

“My understanding is that there’s a meeting scheduled for later today,” he said.

“We will of course examine the claims that she’s made.”

The Daily Telegraph asked Mr Minns’ office on Wednesday night if he had spoken to his frontbencher, but did not receive a response by deadline.

One Labor source said Mr Minns was protecting Ms Mihailuk because the Bankstown MP backed him for the leadership.

Canterbury-Bankstown Mayor Khal Asfour accused Ms Mihailuk of a “cowardly attack”. Picture: Tim Hunter

They said he needed to “sack her or back her”. They said Mr Minns needed to choose between backing Mr Asfour or Ms Mihailuk.

In her extraordinary attack, Ms Mihailuk labelled Mr Asfour as “tainted,” and said she had raised concerns about him with Labor’s head office.

“Should (Mr Asfour’s) name remain on the Labor ticket at conference, it will be cemented by the leadership of our party.

“And indeed the wider public would have to question what the Labor Party’s operation mantra is going to be under a potential Minns Labor Government if we can’t deliver new blood that is not tainted.”

She linked Mr Asfour with corrupt former Minister Eddie Obeid, saying actions of Canterbury-Bankstown council over property needed to be “investigated”.

Mr Asfour was last week endorsed by Labor’s Right faction to run for the upper house, after sitting MPs Adam Searle and Shaoquett Moselmane were dumped from the ticket.

Labor sources had previously speculated that Ms Mihailuk could move to the upper house to resolve a preselection stoush which will likely see her pushed out of Bankstown.

The saga has put NSW Labor leader Chris Minns under pressure to take action. Picture: NCA Newswire / Gaye Gerard

In a statement, Mr Asfour accused the Bankstown MP of a “cowardly attack” under parliamentary privilege.

“I challenge her to repeat those outrageous and unsubstantiated claims outside the Parliament”, Mr Asfour said.

“She has used Parliamentary privilege to launch a cowardly attack on me and my family and I call on her to produce evidence of any wrongdoing to the relevant bodies.”

“She is citing matters from 2012, this reeks of sour grapes at being overlooked on Labor’s upper House ticket.”

“Council has in place independent planners and a Probity Advisor to ensure an arm’s length approach and to ensure due diligence and proper processes are followed,” he said.