Labor figures face Melbourne Magistrates’ Court over charges in IBAC printing rort probe
Four Labor figures are accused of attempting to cover up their use of taxpayer-funded resources for a candidate’s preselection campaign.
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Four Labor figures are accused of attempting to cover up their use of taxpayer-funded resources for a candidate’s preselection campaign.
Former Melton Labor candidate Justin Mammarella, his father Robert and two other Labor staff faced court today after they were charged amid the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission’s printing rorts probe.
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Charge sheets show they are accused of lying to IBAC about how 713 stamped envelopes addressed to Melton Labor members were to be used, claiming the mail-out was designed to raise awareness of autism.
The Mammarella father and son, as well as Angela Scarpaci and Jeffrey O’Donnell, were also charged after allegedly making a pact to “pervert the course of justice” with what they told IBAC about their use of former MP Khalil Eideh’s electorate office resources.
Over four months, they allegedly agreed to tell IBAC that they had not used taxpayer-funded staff, stationary and office equipment for party work, including Justin Mammarella’s bid to become Labor’s candidate for Melton for last year’s state election.
He won the hard-fought preselection but dropped out of the race shortly before the poll for “family reasons”.
The Labor figures were caught up in IBAC’s probe last year into the “cash-for-stacks” printing rort, which was exposed by the Herald Sun in 2017.
Justin Mammarella, Ms Scarpaci and Mr O’Donnell were also charged with telling members of the Mammarella family about the evidence they planned to give at secret hearings into the scandal, allegedly ignoring tough gag orders.
The Melbourne Magistrates’ Court heard today that IBAC investigators would need six weeks to transcribe audio recordings of the Labor figures obtained via hidden listening devices.
Charges were laid in December as IBAC continued to probe allegations that parliament had been billed for false invoices for printing work which was never done, with taxpayers’ money instead funnelled to pay for Labor memberships.
IBAC carried out raids as part of the Operation Naxos probe last year, with the charge sheets showing they seized stamped envelopes addressed to Melton branch members.
The four Labor figures allegedly misled IBAC by claiming the envelopes were meant for a “mail out for Autism Plus”, a controversial disability service provider.
The matter will return to court in April.
Twitter: @tminear