‘Should be in jail’: Dan under attack over political scandal

Daniel Andrews is under extraordinary pressure over what has been labelled “the biggest political scandal” in Victoria’s history.

Victorian opposition MPs have sensationally claimed Daniel Andrews and others in his government “should be in jail”, amid a successful push to have a corruption probe rehashed.

It follows admissions from former Labor MP Adem Somyurek about his involvement in the red shirts scandal that he has labelled “the biggest political scandal in Victorian history”.

Mr Somyurek introduced a motion in the upper house for the state’s corruption watchdog to investigate the party’s rort a second time, which was successfully carried on Wednesday.

In an extraordinary development, Labor MP Kaushaliya Vaghela crossed the floor to vote in favour of the motion, which was carried 19 votes to 17.

The motion will request the Ombudsman probe if Daniel Andrews was involved in any alleged branch stacking. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

The red shirts scandal centred on Labor’s misuse of $388,000 in taxpayer funds during the 2014 election campaign.

It was initially investigated by the Ombudsman in 2018, but did not progress to any criminal charges or referral to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog.

The motion requested the Ombudsman investigate the role Premier Daniel Andrews had in “designing, propagating and facilitating” the scheme while he was opposition leader in 2014.

It has also asked for a probe into potential branch stacking activities, the Premier’s social media unit staff, the monetising of factional politics, and electoral officers and ministerial advisers performing factional tasks during work hours.

Introducing the motion to parliament, Mr Somyurek claimed corruption within government was a destruction of the public service and said the matter needed to be examined further.

He claimed the red shirts scandal was “systemic and centralised” and that Premier Daniel Andrews was behind the scheme.

“We were desperate to win,” he said.

“(Daniel Andrews) did something well beyond what he should’ve – he crossed the line, he designed this system.

“He told me personally that you’ve got to take part in this process whether you want to win or not.”

Some MPs believe Adem Somyurek pushed for the probe in order to get revenge over his expulsion from the Labor Party.

Mr Somyurek was dumped from the Labor Party in 2020 following revelations he was involved in party branch stacking, with some adamant his latest stunt was a last-ditch effort at revenge.

Upper house crossbenchers Fiona Patten and Samantha Ratnam voted against the motion on Wednesday, both claiming the motion presented a range of issues that had already been investigated.

“I do not believe Mr Somyurek is the saviour; this motion seems to be self-serving,” Ms Patten said.

“I think this is a jaded exercise – if we believe there is more corruption to investigate, then write to the Ombudsman. She is open to hear it.”

While Liberal Democrats MP Tim Quilty said he would support the motion, he said he believed it was a clear move from Somyurek to throw his former colleagues under the bus.

“Mr Somyurek is not an uninterested party; I have no doubt this motion is intended as a way to get back at former colleagues for their role in his expulsion,” Mr Quilty said.

“They fought dirty to oust him and he’s fighting dirty to get them back. All the more reason for this investigation.”

Dan Andrews celebrates Labor's Victorian state election victory in 2014. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Labor was forced to pay back hundreds of thousands of dollars after the Ombudsman’s initial inquiry found it had paid casual electorate officers to don red shirts and campaign for the party in marginal seats during the 2014 state election, using $388,000 of taxpayer money.

Opposition leader in the Legislative Council David Davis supported the motion, telling the parliament it was important members of the council did not shield Labor from scrutiny.

“This red shirts matter goes very deep; it goes right to the centre of the Andrews Labor government,” he said.

“The truth of the matter is Daniel Andrews and many others in this government should be in jail.

“I say this investigation is appropriate and I say Somyurek’s point here that it should be broadened to a number of other matters is correct, too.”

Adem Somyurek was fired by Premier Daniel Andrews in June 2020 following the branch stacking revelations. Picture: David Crosling

While Mr Andrews previously responded to allegations Mr Somyurek aired during the state’s IBAC Operation Watts hearings last year, he this week refused to comment.

Asked about Mr Somyurek’s move to bring the scandal before parliament again, Mr Andrews maintained a straight face.

“I’ve got no comment to make on that,” he said.

“Those matters are for the Legislative Council.”

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