Tony Burke’s office invited Labor MPs to Olympic Park citizenship ceremony

Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg was invited to attend the Olympic Park ceremonies … nine days after local mayors received their invitations.

Labor MPs for marginal seats which gained new voters in mass citizenship ceremonies at Olympic Park were personally invited to attend by Home Affairs Minister Tony Burke’s office, the Minister says.

Meanwhile, The Daily Telegraph can reveal that a Liberal Senator who was required to be invited under the rules was only told of the Olympic Park event two days beforehand; nine days after mayors were notified.

A conga line of Labor MPs were pictured at the ceremonies in Homebush, which gave thousands of new Australians citizenship, and the right to vote.

The majority of new citizens live in marginal Labor electorates which are expected to be decided by a handful of votes at the Federal election.

The Labor MPs present at the Olympic Park event included Werriwa MP Anne Stanley, Reid MP Jerome Laxale, Parramatta MP Andrew Charlton, and Labor Senator Tony Sheldon.

Tony Burke said his office invited Labor MPs to the Olympic Park event.

Fowler candidate Tu Le was also front and centre with new voters.

As revealed by The Daily Telegraph on Monday, Fowler MP Dai Le claims she was not invited to the event.

Around 4,500 people became citizens at Olympic Park over the weekend. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

Attempting to defend his industrial-scale citizenship bonanza, Mr Burke said his department followed the rules by inviting the local MP – Labor’s Sally Sitou – and a senator from the opposite party.

However, Mr Burke has now told ABC Radio that his Labor comrades were also told to come.

“Other members of parliament … would have been told verbally it was on,” he said.

Asked who issued the invitations, he said: “I expect, by my office”.

“I presume that the Liberal senators who’ve been notified have been letting their colleagues know about (the ceremonies),” he said.

Independent Fowler MP Dai Le has slammed the Minister, claiming she was not invited – while her Labor opponent was. Picture: NewsWire / Jeremy Piper

However, the Telegraph can now reveal that Home Affairs only invited Liberal Senator Andrew Bragg to the Homebush event on February 19 – two days before the ceremonies began.

That was nine days after mayors Ned Mannoun and Frank Carbone were invited.

Fowler MP Dai Le on Tuesday doubled down on her criticism of Mr Burke, accusing the Minister of telling lying about the ceremony.

The pair have been at loggerheads over whether an invitation was extended to the Fowler MP.

Mr Burke said he personally invited Ms Le to come. Ms Le on Tuesday said that was a “BS lie”.