Weasel words from Labor on endemic branch stacking problem
Voters have every right to fear that Labor’s pledges to fix its branch stacking shame are nothing more than weasel words, writes Anna Caldwell.
NSW
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Voters have every right to fear that Labor’s pledges to fix its branch stacking shame are nothing more than weasel words.
As the Victorian branch of the party unravels over industrial-scale stacking, the NSW arm has been quietly aware of its own mess for months.
Revelations yesterday of the damning report handed to NSW Labor HQ in March reveal the scale of the problem.
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Critically, the investigation by respected former Queensland party boss Evan Moorhead only looked at a string of Western Sydney branches.
We have no way of knowing if the same dirty behaviour — paid-for memberships, false attendance records, poor record keeping — is at play all over the state.
Instinct tells you it probably is.
The worst part of this is that seven months after the allegations were first put to NSW party HQ it’s hard to say precisely what’s been done about it.
The party insists it accepted Moorhead’s recommendations — but it can’t say what decisive action has been taken, simply declaring it is “in the process of implementing those reforms”.
Laurie Ferguson, a powerbroker and former federal MP accused by Moorhead of “unworthy conduct” remains a party member and is still before party hearings.
Anthony Albanese, new Labor secretary Bob Nanva and state Labor leader Jodi McKay all squibbed questions on this yesterday.
Back in November Albanese and McKay were right to call for an investigation when the allegations were first raised. But now that the findings are so damning their voices and actions are even more important.
Voters deserve better.