Liberal MP Richard Welch has been referred to the parliament’s integrity watchdog over office printing service
Senior Labor Minister Mary-Anne Thomas has asked the parliament’s integrity watchdog to investigate Liberal MP Richard Welch after he offered “same-day” printing services from his taxpayer-funded office to party colleagues.
Liberal MP Richard Welch has been referred to the parliament’s integrity watchdog for investigation after he offered “same-day” printing services from his taxpayer-funded office to his party’s MPs, candidates and branch members.
Senior Labor Minister Mary-Anne Thomas requested Parliamentary Workplace Safety and Integrity Commission Chair David Wolf probe the potential misconduct on Wednesday afternoon.
The referral came after it was revealed in the Herald Sun that Mr Welch had messaged colleagues saying staff in his electorate office in Blackburn could provide “large format” printing services to them.
Ms Thomas’ letter outlined concerns over “breaches of the members Code of Conduct, and wilful, repeated or deliberate misuse of work-related parliamentary allowances or the Electorate Office and Communications Budget under the Parliamentary Salaries, Allowances and Superannuation Act 1968”.
“I am concerned to ensure that any allegations of parliamentary misconduct that are within the remit of the Commission, are identified, investigated and appropriate action taken,” she wrote.
Mr Welch denies he has broken any rules claiming he paid for the printer and toner out of his own pocket and said if staff printed any non-electorate related material it was out of hours.
A leaked message sent by Mr Welch in March last year to more than 30 Liberal Party branch members spruiked a new office printer, which he said could generate “large format” prints “for any occasion”.
He urged members to call his staff to organise prints if needed.
Earlier on Wednesday Opposition leader Jess Wilson stood by Mr Welch after the revelations were made public.
When asked whether it was appropriate for Mr Welch to encourage calls to his electorate office for party-related printing orders Ms Wilson said there was no cost to the taxpayer, but did not directly address the question about staff.
“Richard has been very clear today that he paid for all the material, the printer, himself that all of this work took place out of hours through volunteer hours and he has been very clear that no taxpayer expense has been incurred,” she said.
“I have spoken to Richard, I speak to Richard everyday, and he has been very clear that no taxpayer expense has been incurred.”
When pressed about taxpayer funding of the office including electricity and whether Mr Welch had accounted for those costs, Ms Wilson said “Richard has been incredibly clear he has paid for this out of his own pocket”.
It is understood a member of the public independently has separately requested the independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission to also probe the matter.
Mr Welch could not be reached for comment.
