Independent MP to chair long awaited probe into Labor’s $388K rort

CROSSBENCH MP James Purcell will chair a powerful parliamentary inquiry into Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme, following weeks of delays.

CROSSBENCH MP James Purcell will chair a powerful parliamentary inquiry into Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme.

The move to appoint the independent member for Western Victoria comes weeks after the Legislative Council voted to probe the scheme, which saw $388,000 rorted from taxpayers.

The delay was the result of the Andrews Government refusing to back down on who should control the investigative process.

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Government MPs wanted Greens member Nina Springle as the chair.

Victorian Upper House MP for Western Victoria James Purcell.

However, in a last-minute amendment by the Coalition, the Vote 1 Local Jobs MP was put forward to lead the process.

The long-awaited breaking of the deadlock comes after the upper house agreed to examine Labor MPs involved in the rort in March.

It followed a damning report by Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass which found the Labor Party had wrongly funnelled money from parliamentary budgets to pay for campaign staff ahead of the 2014 state election.

The majority of Labor MPs refused to participate in Ms Glass’ investigation prompting the parliamentary probe.

However, the committee has been unable to sit because parties in the upper house could not agree on a chair.

Nina Springle, Greens MP. Picture: Zoe Phillips

In a motion moved today Greens MP Sue Pennicuik nominated Ms Springle saying “obviously the government cannot be the chair,’’ with 21 Labor MPs implicated.

She also slammed the long delay saying several weeks had passed and “a lot of work could have been done in that time”.

Legislative Council whip Jaclyn Symes opposed the amendment to have Mr Purcell as the chair, but the Government were unsuccessful.

The panel will now begin their work within weeks and will have the ability to order upper house MPs to give evidence.

Members involved in the Legislative Council include Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings who gave $20,539, Minister for Corrections Gayle Tierney who contributed $20,559 and Minister for Children and Families Jenny Mikados who signed over $21,148.

The panel will also be able to call on the scheme’s architect and former leader of the Government in the Upper House - John Lenders - who has previously declined to comment publicly.

It is unlikely lower MPs will attend.

The Herald Sun revealed the rorts for votes scheme in 2015 when Premier Daniel Andrews and his ministers ­repeatedly denied wrongdoing and moved to launch a series of unsuccessful legal battles to stop an investigation by the Ombudsman Deborah Glass.

But the courts approved Ms Glass’s probe and her damning ­report released this year found that the taxpayer cash had been misused. Mr Rich-Phillips said yesterday: “I am disappointed the government is frustrating another inquiry into their rort.’’

Despite losing the chair position Victorian Greens spokesman for integrity, Sam Hibbins said the party was happy to move forward.

“The Greens welcome the overdue appointment of a chair so the privileges committee can get on with the important work of holding Labor to account for their misuse of public money,” he said.

“The Greens have lead this process from the beginning, with the original referral to the ombudsman, being a party to the legal proceedings Labor used to try and stop an inquiry, and referring the matter to the privileges committee.”

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