George­ Barcha: ALP suspends councillor

A STAFFER to state MP Hugh McDermott has been suspended from the Labor Party for six months for “serious­ misconduct­”.

New deputy mayor for Fairfield

A STAFFER for Prospect state MP Hugh McDermott has been suspended from the Labor Party for six months after it found he engaged in “serious­ misconduct­”.

Fairfield councillor George­ Barcha was reprimanded by the ALP Review Tribunal last week for conduct “unworthy” and demonstrating a “serious disregard for the rules”.

On January 30 this year, Mr Barcha, then secretary of Labor’s Smithfield branch, submitted 57 membership ­renewal forms to head office.

The tribunal found Mr Barcha­ “wilfully” renewed four of those memberships “without authority”.

Mr Barcha had tendered a declaration “All the members I am renewing are aware that their membership is being renewed by myself and are willing”.

It allegedly came to light when two members who tried to renew their own memberships found forms in their names had been submitted by Mr Barcha.

An earlier tribunal heard the two members claimed they had not signed renewal forms or consented to a third party doing so.

Mr Barcha alleged one of the member’s mother handed him the forms but a declaration from her to that effect was discredited.

The tribunal found that declaration was hand written by one of Mr Barcha’s relatives and then signed by the member’s mother.

The writing on the two forms was also “likely” to belong to Mr Barcha’s relative, the tribunal found.

The member’s mother alleged before the tribunal she felt pressure to sign the statutory declaration and denied giving Mr Barcha the forms.

The Smithfield branch attendance­ book was also ­recalled after the signatures of the member’s parents, who had not attended meetings for years, were found to be most likely falsified.

Mr Barcha said he was “disappointed”.

“I am certain the ‘evidence’ would not have stood up to proper judicial rigour.

“I will continue to fight to prove my innocence in this matter.’’

The tribunal noted the suspension would prevent Mr Barcha from being endorsed at the next council election.