Jacinta Allan announces parliamentary integrity overhaul following branch stacking scandal

A new integrity commission would investigate allegations of bad behaviour made against MPs following Labor’s 2022 branch stacking scandal.

Premier Jacinta Allan has announced plans for a parliamentary integrity commission to investigate bullying and harassment complaints made against Victorian MPs.

Joined by Attorney-General Jaclyn Symes, Ms Allan told the media on Tuesday new legislation would establish a parliamentary integrity commission to investigate reports of misconduct in parliament.

This would see powers conferred onto three commissioners to probe allegations made against ministers and parliament secretaries in parliamentary workplaces.

“At the heart of that is ensuring that there is a process to ensure that allegations of bad behaviour, bullying, workplace harassment, including sexual harassment, is done in a way where we can make sure there is the confidence for victims to report …” Ms Allan said.

Jacinta Allan said the current framework had ‘fallen short’. Picture: NCA NewsWire / David Crosling

“(It will ensure) there is a place for members of parliament alongside staff to go and get advice … on how they can best comply with the Code of Conduct.”

The proposed Parliamentary Integrity Commission Bill would implement seven recommendations made by the state ombudsman and IBAC in 2022 regarding the misuse of taxpayer funds and branch stacking.

Victoria’s Labor Party became embroiled in a branch stacking scandal last year after two former Daniel Andrews government ministers were found to have misused public funds.

Subsequent probes into the widespread branch stacking operations found a system rife with nepotism, where jobs were given to individuals who controlled more Labor members or who had been loyal to the faction, until June 2020.

The proposed Bill would also establish a Parliamentary Ethics Committee and see the existing Parliamentary Integrity Adviser enshrined in legislation, as well as improving mechanisms relating to public interest disclosures about MPs.

Ms Allan conceded the current framework had “fallen short”.

Originally published as Jacinta Allan announces parliamentary integrity overhaul following branch stacking scandal