Ex-Labor candidate Justin Mammarella admits he lied to cover up rort

A former Labor candidate admits he lied to the state’s corruption watchdog to cover up a scandal that saw taxpayer-funded resources used in his preselection campaign.

Justin Mammarella pleaded guilty to charges including perjury and conspiring to pervert the course of justice for his role in the “cash for stacks” scandal

A former Labor candidate will likely avoid jail despite lying to the state’s corruption watchdog to cover up a taxpayer-funded election rort.

Justin Mammarella, 46, pleaded guilty to charges including perjury and conspiring to pervert the course of justice for his role in the “cash for stacks” scandal that saw taxpayer-funded resources used in his preselection campaign.

During a pre-sentencing hearing at the County Court on Monday, defence lawyer Christopher Terry pushed for Mammarella to be placed on a community based order, arguing it was the first time his client had been linked to corrupt conduct.

“There is no evidence whatsoever of underlying corrupt conduct on Justin prior to IBAC speaking to him,” he said.

“He was an upstanding, contributing member of society.”

Prosecutor Stephen Devlin said Mammarella’s offending – who was Labor’s Melton candidate at the time – was serious but didn’t warrant a jail term.

Mammarella, his father Robert Mammarella, and two other Labor staff, Angela Scarpaci and Jeffrey O’Donnell, were charged in December 2018 following an investigation by the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission.

All four were accused of providing a “fabricated story” to IBAC about the use of 713 stamped envelopes addressed to Melton Labor members.

Mammarella’s father Robert Mammarella was also embroiled in the scandal. Picture: Tony Gough

Scarpaci and O’Donnell both worked as electorate officers for former upper house Labor MP Khalil Eideh, whose Cairnlea office was said to be used in the scandal.

Mammarella and his co-accused made a pact to tell police they had not used taxpayer-funded staff and office equipment for Mammarella’s campaign.

The IBAC probe was launched after the Herald Sun, in 2017, revealed the state government had been billed via false invoices for printing work which was never completed.

Taxpayers’ money was instead funnelled to pay for Labor Party memberships.

Mammarella also pleaded guilty to possessing an imitation firearm after officers found an “antique” gun at his Taylors Hill home.

Mr Terry argued Mammarella was not the person who misused taxpayers resources or funds, but rather his involvement commenced when IBAC questioned him when they found envelopes at his father’s office.

Mr Terry also submitted that his client’s father’s poor health affected his state of mind during IBAC questioning.

“At that stage Robert Mammarella was suffering cancer … (It is) no defence to his actions but it puts them into context,” Mr Terry said.

Judge Rosemary Carlin said Mammarella would be looking at a “large” number of community work hours.

He will return to the County Court on Thursday for sentencing.