Labor rorts to put pressure on Labor MPs during parliament

A LABOR backbencher has taken aim at people in his party for “kicking along” the rorts saga in the media after the Victorian Ombudsman found $388,000 had been cheated from taxpayers.

A LABOR backbencher has taken aim at people in his party for “kicking along” the rorts saga in the media after the Victorian Ombudsman found $388,000 had been cheated from taxpayers.

In another defensive spray that will draw attention back to Premier Daniel Andrews and the scandal, Legislative Council MP Shaun Leane stood up in a caucus meeting to denounce people in his own party who were talking about the scandal.

Mr Leane had previously taken to social media to say he was proud of the work his staff had done to campaign for the ALP before the last election.

ANDREWS GOVERNMENT MPS IMPLICATED IN LABOR RORTS FOR VOTES SCANDAL

LABOR MPS NOT SORRY AFTER PROBE FINDS THEY SCAMMED $388K FROM TAXPAYERS

Other MPs close to Mr Andrews stood up in caucus to say that when doorknocking the taxpayer-funded rip-off wasn’t being raised with them.

One Labor MP said it showed there was still no contrition from some colleagues about the fact that they had broken the rules, forcing the ALP to pay back $388,000.

Premier Daniel Andrews faces the media with Special Minister of State Gavin Jennings and Attorney-General Martin Pakula by his side. Picture: Alex Coppel

Mr Andrews told the meeting that the aftermath of the saga would be overtly political and urged his team to focus on the job the government was doing.

It comes as Mr Andrews and six senior ministers are bracing for a brutal week in state parliament as they face fresh questions over the party’s rorts-for-votes scheme.

The Upper House is set to vote on whether to open a new inquiry into Labor MPs who participated in the scam, which saw campaigners paid up to $388,000 in taxpayer funds on the false premise of doing electorate office work.

Several crossbench MPs have expressed “in principle” support for the probe, meaning hearings could begin as early as next week.

Vote 1 Local Jobs MP James Purcell said on Monday there should be “absolute transparency” around the use of public resources before the 2014 election.

Labor MPs continue to downplay an Ombudsman’s report tabled last week, which found that nearly $388,000 was misused by 21 MPs. The scam was revealed by the Herald Sun in 2015, and last week Premier Daniel Andrews said: “I am sorry that this happened”.

Labor has also paid back the $388,000 it fleeced.

Public Transport Minister Jacinta Allan on Monday brushed aside comparisons between cricket’s cheating crisis and the parliamentary rorting, but some senior MPs concede voters are incensed by the misuse of public money.

Victorian Ombudsman Deborah Glass. Picture: AAP/Alex Murray

Terms of reference have been circulated for the state Opposition’s parliamentary inquiry motion, including that external investigators could be called to help investigate. The Herald Sun can also reveal:

THE Australian Electoral Commission will be asked to assess whether Labor broke disclosure rules by failing to declare money it used to pay for campaign staff;

LABOR headquarters has been spruiking positive polling — done before the rorts report was tabled last week — showing the party in a good position in key Melbourne seats;

THE parliamentary inquiry pushed by the state Opposition would have to report back by August 31;

GREENS MPs will seek to have the powerful Privileges Committee sanction MPs found to have misused funds;

NEW questions have emerged about why some Labor MPs did not participate in the scheme to hire casual electorate office staff.

Opposition Leader Matthew Guy said on Monday the Ombudsman had warned “there are gaps in the evidence of which parliament should be aware” and it was up to MPs to fill them.

“If the Andrews Labor government chooses to continue to hide the truth from Victorians and fails the leadership test by refusing to admit any responsibility, then the parliament will have to complete the important process Ms Glass started,” he said.

Some of the minor party MPs are leaning in favour of the inquiry, including the two Shooters, Fishers and Farmers MPs who are in favour of more scrutiny. Mr Purcell said he would support an expanded investigation.

KATIE BICE: DANIEL ANDREWS WILL SURVIVE RED SHIRTS SCANDAL AS RORTING NEW ‘NORMAL’

Premier Daniel Andrews and Jacinta Allan. Picture: AAP/Joe Castro

Terms of reference for the Opposition’s probe have been circulated, including that the committee investigate “gaps in evidence” to which Ms Glass referred in her report.

Labor had argued Lower House MPs should not have to co-operate with the Ombudsman probe, because a referral to her office was made by the Upper House.

The committee would also be asked to look at the “expenditure of public money by the government in actions in the Supreme Court, Court of Appeal, and High Court in an effort to prevent the Ombudsman’s investigation”.

Ms Allan, who is Labor’s manager of government business in the Legislative Assembly, said she had a strong team of volunteers in Bendigo at the last election, and would not be drawn on whether she had an unfair advantage.

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