Labor MPs involved in rorts-for-votes scheme ‘brought discredit’ on Parliament

THE architect of Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme has been slammed by a parliamentary committee for acting “with deliberate disregard” of standards expected of MPs.

THE architect of Labor’s rorts-for-votes scheme has been slammed by a parliamentary committee for acting “with deliberate disregard” of standards expected of MPs.

The Privileges Committee has also declared that the Labor MPs involved in rorting nearly $388,000 to pay for political campaigners in the 2014 election have “brought discredit on the Parliament”.

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But the committee said it was unable to hold Labor MPs and red shirts scheme mastermind John Lenders in contempt of Parliament because the burden of proof was too high.

The committee had held a string of explosive public hearings in the first inquiry of its kind in the history of Victoria’s Legislative Council.

In its report, tabled this morning, it found: “The conduct of the Members in question does not constitute a contempt of Parliament, even though in some cases the conduct was not up to the standard expected from Members of Parliament.”

It said Labor MPs — including ministers Gavin Jennings, Gayle Tierney and Jenny Mikakos — should have sought more details on the scheme, which saw Labor field organisers paid by taxpayers as casual electorate officers.

Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: Stefan Postles/AAP

The committee determined government MPs should have clarified the arrangements for paying their electorate officers, and should have “been more diligent” in certifying the hours they had worked.

“Regardless of whether their actions were intentional, reckless or whether the breach was caused directly or indirectly, it is up to the Member to ensure their conduct does not bring discredit upon Parliament,” the report said.

“In the Committee’s view, the Members’ conduct in participating in the scheme has brought discredit on the Parliament.”

Mr Lenders, a former Labor minister who designed the scheme, was said to have “acted with deliberate disregard for the Members’ Guide and his actions were contrary to the standard expected of a Member of Parliament”.

But the committee said it did not have “proof” to find him in contempt.

Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass. Picture: Alex Murray/AAP

The report also said: “There is no evidence to suggest that the Members or their actions, directly or indirectly, committed any breach of privilege or otherwise obstructed the House in undertaking its core functions.”

The eight-person committee, which included three Labor MPs, recommended that the Parliament should “as swiftly as possible” implement proposals made by the Victorian Ombudsman to overhaul the Members’ Guide and the rules for employing electorate officers.

Victoria Police is investigating the red shirts scheme and recently arrested 17 former Labor campaign staff.

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