Victorian Liberal president Robert Clark reveals initial findings of branch-stacking probe

Liberal members may be expelled amid revelations of dodgy credit card payments and “unexplained after-hours access” to internal records.

Victorian Liberal members are facing expulsion after an independent probe found alarming evidence of branch-stacking in party ranks.

Consultants from KordaMentha were called in three months ago to scrutinise the party’s membership records in the wake of allegations aired against powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan which embroiled federal MPs Michael Sukkar and Kevin Andrews.

On Friday, Victorian Liberal president Robert Clark told members that the probe made it clear that “far-reaching remedial action” was needed to clean up the state branch.

Victoria Liberal Party president Robert Clark.

In an email obtained by the Herald Sun, Mr Clark also revealed that multiple members had refused to co-operate with KordaMentha and would now be expelled if they did not assist the inquiry.

The state president said the investigation had so far uncovered:

INSTANCES where credit cards were used to pay for multiple party memberships.

PERIODS of “high and unexplained after-hours access” to membership records, raising fears the party’s database had been “accessed for improper purposes or by persons without authority to do so”.

DISCREPANCIES in membership fee payments.

MULTIPLE members who joined the party through one federal electorate conference and then quickly shifted to another electorate conference.

In August, Mr Bastiaan resigned from the party but denied allegations of branch-stacking.

Mr Sukkar and Mr Andrews sought an investigation of their use of taxpayer-funded resources and were cleared of any wrongdoing by the Department of Finance last month.

Mr Clark’s email to members said KordaMentha had carried out extensive analysis of party records and interviewed members, and was now seeking to expand its investigation.

“The investigations to date have shown a need for additional interviews and data analysis, in particular in order to identify and hold to account as fully as possible all persons who may have engaged in improper or questionable conduct,” he said.

“It is vital for the party’s future that all party members can have confidence that those who join our party are genuinely committed to the party and to Liberal values, and that our party systems, procedures and rules are effective to uphold our constitution and to enable action to be taken against any party members who act in violation of our constitution.”

Mr Clark flagged the need for “substantial constitutional change to remove incentives for unacceptable recruitment practices”.

This could include the creation of an independent tribunal, as well as rules to prevent members voting in internal elections until they had served a qualifying period.

Mr Clark added that a new membership system which was expected to eliminate data integrity issues would be rolled out early next year.

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