Parliamentary committee members seek to delay publishing a report into 2022 election, for junket

MPs on a Labor chaired Electoral Matters Committee will vote on Monday whether a taxpayer-funded trip to the US and Canada, with a focus on social media, is needed as part of their work.

MPs spent last week lobbying colleagues to back a $80K overseas junket.

Members of a key parliamentary committee want to delay publishing a report into the 2022 state election so they can take part in a taxpayer-funded junket.

MPs on the Labor chaired Electoral Matters Committee will on Monday vote on whether the trip to the US and Canada is needed to complete their work.

The Sunday Herald Sun understands some MPs spent last week lobbying colleagues to back the junket, which is understood to have a focus on “social media”.

Sources estimated it would cost at least $80,000 to fund the trip, with official costings expected to be provided to the committee on Monday.

The inquiry is due to report by May 1, 2024.

As part of its inquiry the committee is tasked with considering how the Victorian election was conducted and how it could be improved.

Issues including enrolling, being a candidate and voting have all been examined.

Parliamentary sources have confirmed the idea of a junket was first mooted in July, while the committee was chaired by former Labor MP Will Fowles.

Mr Fowles was replaced by new MP Luba Grigorovitch in August after he was forced to resign from Labor’s parliamentary team amid a sexual assault allegation.

Manager of Opposition Business, Liberal Party MP James Newbury, on Friday wrote to Jacinta Allan to raise concerns about the potential trip.

Concerns about the proposed trip have been raised with Premier Jacinta Allan. Picture: Kelly Barnes

He described the proposed travel as a “waste of taxpayers’ money on an unnecessary overseas junket”.

The Opposition has formally rejected any prospect of backing a parliamentary motion to extend the inquiry reporting date.

“I trust that you agree with the decision to oppose an extension, given that it was simply a front for unnecessary international travel,” Mr Newbury wrote.

“Since communicating that leave would be denied to extend the reporting date, as recently as this week Labor Committee Members have been privately lobbying Coalition Members to pressure a change of position.

“The lobbying has been overt, with Labor asking our Members why we don’t want a free overseas trip.

Former Labor MP Will Fowles.

The planned trip is understood to have a focus on social media.

“Again, I trust that you share my resolve in opposing the proposal.”

Mr Newbury urged the Premier to counsel its members to stop advocating for the junket they “intend to bill to the taxpayers’ credit card.”

“Premier, you and I both know that in practice, you are the only person with the power to clean up the behaviour of Labor Members on Parliamentary Committees,” he wrote.

In April, former Premier Daniel Andrews ordered his ministers to cut back on overseas travel citing Victoria’s ongoing cost of living pressures.

Since the election dozens of MPs from across the parliament have spent tens of thousands of dollars on international travel.

Parliamentary rules entitle all MPs to a $10,000 travel allowance for trips relating to either parliamentary or electorate business.