Opposition says it will make string of referrals to IBAC over seats for sale scandal

Daniel Andrews has refused to commit to changing voting laws as the Libs refer him and his party to IBAC over an election fixer scam.

The state opposition says it will make a string of referrals to the anti-corruption watchdog over the upper house seats for sale scandal.

It comes following Herald Sun revelations that preference whisperer Glenn Druery had worked to deliver a Labor-friendly upper house.

Daniel Andrews, the ALP, construction union the CFMEU and Mr Druery will all be referred to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission.

Shadow Minister for Government Scrutiny Louise Staley said it was one of the worst cases of corruption in Victoria’s political system in the state’s history.

“Premier Daniel Andrews has presided over a culture of corruption and cover-ups within his government, and this will undoubtedly be a sixth IBAC investigation,” Ms Staley said.

“The only way to clean up the rotten culture of corruption and cover-up in Victoria is to vote Liberals and Nationals next Saturday.”

But the Premier has refused to commit to changing upper house voting laws if he is re-elected.

Shadow Minister for Government Scrutiny Louise Staley says it’s one of the worst cases of corruption in Victoria’s political system in the state’s history. Picture: Andrew Henshaw

Mr Andrews said he wanted to “wait and see” for the outcomes of a review into the 2022 election that is held by a parliamentary inquiry every term before weighing in on the issue.

But the last election review, into 2018, has already called on the parliament to hold a separate inquiry into the upper house voting system.

This wasn’t an official recommendation from the inquiry and was never addressed when handed down in 2020.

Mr Andrews said he didn’t know his government didn’t act on this but said the revelations in the Herald Sun were a new element to the issue.

“The seriousness of the issue is perhaps in sharper focus today,” he said.

“I don’t want to make any comments about any individuals.

“There will be a review into the conduct of the election and they will make judgments about whether there’s reform.”

The Premier said he had never met Glenn Druery, who speaks in the explosive video about manipulating preference deals to get MPs elected to parliament on a fraction of the vote – in return for $55,000.

In the video, Mr Druery says Labor has been happy with the group voting ticket laws, which have been scrapped by every other state, because they got a crossbench it could work with in government.

Mr Andrews said he didn’t think the ALP had “engaged the services” of Mr Druery, but that he would have the party confirm what dealings they had previously.

Matthew Guy has committed to scrapping “third world style” group voting tickets if he becomes premier.

The Opposition Leader said the current system allowed people to “literally buy their way into Victorian parliament”.

“We voted against this in the parliament. Denis Napthine sought to change it, Daniel Andrews refused to give him any kind of co-operation on this. Now we know why,” he said.

“This is third world kind of stuff, which the government says that it won’t change the laws because they’re benefiting from it.

Fiona Patten said Mr Druery had sullied the political process. Picture: Ian Currie

“That is deeply concerning and it needs to be fixed.

“It is totally undermining our democracy. That’s not a healthy democracy. That’s why I’ll change those laws.”

Mr Guy said it was his understanding that his party has never asked anyone to manipulate preferences.

“The group voting ticket structure leads to circumstances where people can literally buy their way into Victorian parliament,” he said.

Mr Guy said he would seek advice on what his amended upper house voting system would look like.

The lead candidate of the Restore Democracy Sack Dan Andews Party has slapped down claims the party is a sham to help get other candidates elected.

Tosh Finnigan, who is running in the Western Victorian Region in the upper house, said they had spoken with preference whisperer Glenn Druery when setting up the party.

“I will freely admit that I have long admired Mr Druery for ensuring neither Labor or the Coalition have the balance of power in the upper house, and we have a mutual interest in this regard, and when setting up the party I contacted Glenn to let him know it was in the works,” Mx Finnigan said.

But they rejected claims by Mr Druery the party was setup as a sham.

In video exposed by the Herald Sun, Mr Druery boasts how he has been instrumental in setting up dozens of sham parliamentary parties with catchy names, solely to get other candidates elected via those parties’ preferences.

“So, let me tell you about Sack Dan Andrews, and I am bringing you into confidence here – it is one of mine,” he says of the new Victorian party contesting this month’s election,” he said.

“I could have called it the Pro Jet Trails Party, I could have called it the Port Arthur Conspiracy, I could have called it the Whacko Crazy Lunatics Party but I didn’t. “Every other party was (saying) sack Dan Andrews, sack Dan Andrews, sack Dan Andrews and I was like, ‘Ah ha. We are going to call them the Sack Dan Andrews Party’. And we did. We, me and my allies”

Mx Finnigan dismissed the claims, saying Mr Druery had “little to f*** all involvement aside from me telling him it was in the works.”

“The Restore Democracy Sack Dan Andrews Party was not set up to “game the system,” nor was it “established by an election fixer,” they said.

“The Restore Democracy part of our name is a pointed message aimed squarely at Victorian Labor as it has usurped the voting rights of members on all party matters, allowing the Premier and his allies to freely terminate the careers of factional enemies with impunity, and install people loyal to he and his allies.

“That our party has been able to run in all regions and direct preferences via our Group Voting Tickets to the minor party/parties most likely to win in each region when we are excluded from the count is an added bonus as we should hopefully see a larger, more diverse crossbench in next parliament, where no one party holds the balance of power, ensuring Labor will have to negotiate to pass bills.”

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam said Labor needed to immediately declare if it had been involved in any deals with Mr Druery.

“This must be the final nail in the coffin of our corrupt upper house voting system,” she said.

“Victoria is the only state that continues to use the undemocratic group voting tickets, and this is why.

“Labor may prefer to deal with a motley crew of Druery’s ‘family’ on the crossbench rather than the Greens, but it has meant our group voting system has stuck around like a bad rash.

“While it is clear Labor and AJP did deals in 2018 with Glenn Druery to lock the Greens out, the revelations open up serious questions as to the integrity of those involved.”

Victorian Greens leader Samantha Ratnam says Labor needs to immediately declare if it has been involved in any deals with Mr Druery. Picture: David Crosling

Ms Ratnam, an upper house MP, said the Premier must answer whether he or Labor gave a commitment to Mr Druery to keep group voting tickets in exchange for preferable deals.

“Furthermore, the Premier must come clean about any discussions he or his ministers had with Mr Druery about legislation or other parliamentary business in the last term of parliament,” she said.

“People on our parliament payroll are paying exorbitant fees to get across the line on election day, with their votes being directed by someone happy to rort the system to get them a seat.

“Victorian voters need to stop being taken for a ride each state election. The next government needs to scrap group voting tickets once and for all.”

Reason Party leader Fiona Patten distanced herself from Mr Druery, saying she had always conducted her own preference negotiations.

“Unbeknown to me — and to my chagrin — as has been extensively reported over the years, one of my backers paid Mr Druery after my preference negotiations with other candidates were completed, in a bid to prevent him insidiously undermining my prospects,” she said.

“He did not have anything to do with my negotiations.

“I have a history of trying to stop Mr Druery’s cynical sullying of our political process.”

Democratic Labor Party leader Bernie Finn said he had given a commitment to support electoral reform that would see Group Voting Tickets banned.

“I have never worked with Mr Druery,” he said. “The party has spoken with him, as it has spoken to almost every other party, but no money has been paid by the DLP to anyone.

“If not a rort, it is certainly a manipulation of the system.

“This, of course, can easily be avoided by voters if they mark their upper house ballot paper one to at least five to make their own preferences clear. I did that myself on Monday. It’s not difficult.”

Derryn Hinch Justice Party MP Tania Maxwell said she refused to deal with Mr Druery but said the party openly used his services to help their election chances.

“When first elected in 2018, I had no idea how preferences worked,” she said.

“It wasn’t until I drew B in the ballot draw, that Glenn Druery began calling me to keep me updated how the polling was going.

“The party consulted with Glenn about preferences and once I was elected, Glenn came to parliament preaching his high opinion of himself.

“Glenn and I had a falling out because I told him I didn’t trust him. This was probably 12 months ago or more.

“In fact, he phoned my previous parliamentary adviser over two years ago to say he had sold off my seat for the next election.

“I am more disappointed with my party. I asked repeatedly about the preferences and finances and was always responded to with a dead bat.”