What IBAC probe really means for Victorians

The prospect of getting on the beers is a convenient distraction from the corruption probe threatening to blow up the Labor Party. But Victorians should take notice.

Victorians have again been lied to and cheated, which is why this corruption probe matters. There has long been a sense among voters that politicians can be dodgy and that they are all the same.

But the allegations being investigated are much more serious than the rough-and-tumble of party politics.

What’s being suggested is wholesale corruption inside Victorian Labor that is robbing taxpayers of both money and of elected representatives. That taxpayer-funded staff were being directed by MPs not to work for the good of the electorate but for the good of the ALP.

It comes seven years into the Andrews government, and after the red shirts scandal which also rorted taxpayer-funded staff for political purposes, making it all the more concerning.

It speaks to systemic corruption, which is why even if Victorians haven’t taken notice before, they should now. Primarily, taxpayer-funded staff were used to help stack branches or have fake members to help boost their MP’s support and influence within the party.

IBAC is also investigating whether Labor-friendly community associations were given government grants, which were then misused to fund political work.

Union organisers running the taxpayer-funded Migrant Worker Centre have already admitted misusing government grant money for political activities at state and federal elections.

The Herald Sun revealed the rort last year when a whistleblower said workers were “ordered” to campaign to secure a Labor victory.

A subsequent Auditor-General’s report found Migrant Worker Centre staff were used towards campaigning against the Liberal Party.

In both cases, taxpayer dollars were being used not for the good of the people but the good of the Labor Party. Most galling of all is that this is not the first time members of this government have been caught with their hands in the cookie jar.

What’s being investigated now is reminiscent of Labor’s infamous red shirts rort that saw almost $388,000 in taxpayers’ money spent on part-paying electorate staff to campaign ahead of the 2014 election. Almost two dozen MPs, including several ministers, were embroiled in the scandal that misused taxpayer dollars to pay for political campaigning.

It led to a damning Ombudsman’s report and a lengthy police investigation. All this stinks of corruption to the core.

Adem Somyurek, whose expulsion from Labor over branch-stacking claims sparked the IBAC probe, has described the red shirts scandal as a “premeditated and systematic rort … designed to misappropriate taxpayer resources for the benefit of the party”.

He has also sensationally accused Daniel Andrews of branch-stacking. For the IBAC hearing to get to the bottom of these very serious claims, Mr Andrews must be called to give evidence.

It’s a handy coincidence for the government that weary Victorians are so focused right now on the upcoming easing of restrictions.

Even without the promise of a step towards freedom most people’s eyes will glaze over at any talk of IBAC, branch-stacking and party politics.

But they shouldn’t.

As counsel assisting IBAC Chris Carr SC said: “When corruption occurs in the public sector, it hurts all of us.”

Originally published as What IBAC probe really means for Victorians