Anthony Albanese omits Adem Somyurek’s name in ALP caucus

Despite the Victorian ALP being in tatters, federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese left two words unspoken in a meeting of the ALP caucus: Adem Somyurek.

Samantha Maiden

@samanthamaiden

3 min read

June 16, 2020 - 2:40PM

Labor leader Anthony Albanese left two forbidden words unspoken in a marathon, two-hour meeting of the ALP caucus in Canberra – Adem Somyurek.

Despite blanket headlines around the country over the secret tapes that have already claimed the careers of three ministers in Victorian Premier Dan Andrews’ government, not a single Labor MP or senator wanted to discuss the scandal.

Not even the federal MP for Holt Anthony Byrne, whose electorate office plays a starring role in the secret surveillance tapes obtained by 60 Minutes. Whether he’s a whistleblower we still don’t know, although he has revealed he believes the matter should be fully investigated and he looks forward to co-operating with Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog.

It’s all most Labor MPs can talk about and many of them are ringing journalists to pass on their latest theories or trawl for more information.

But inside the ALP caucus, it was a case of don’t talk about the Adem Somyurek-shaped elephant in the room.

Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese didn’t mention Adem Somyurek in the marathon ALP caucus meeting. Picture: Lukas Coch/AAP

Disgraced Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek. Picture: Julian Smith/AAP

The real action was elsewhere, to determine the scale of the federal intervention in the Victorian branch after the explosive allegations of branch stacking and faceless powerbrokers who claimed to be running the ALP.

The small group of Labor MPs and union leaders who met today to determine an audit of the Victorian branch includes just nine men and women and only one of them is a household name – ALP President and former Treasurer Wayne Swan.

The ALP’s national executive committee is a smaller, more elite grouping than the ALP national executive and includes ALP secretary Paul Erickson, NSW Labor Senator Tim Ayres, Victorian ALP senior vice-president Shannon Threlfall-Clarke, SA Labor MP Nick Champion, CFMEU official Michael O’Connor, and union leaders Tara Moriarty and Gerard Dwyer.

Asked today on Channel 10’s Studio 10 whether the Labor Party will effectively have to “wipe out the Victorian branch and take over” Mr Albanese said some form of federal intervention was guaranteed.

“Well, there will be a need for some national involvement. And Daniel Andrews is asking for that,’’ Mr Albanese said.

“Daniel Andrews is determined to clean out any areas that are required. And he’ll have the support of the national Party to do that. This is unacceptable. And, of course, if you have members who aren’t really committed, then that dilutes the influence of those who are, the people who knock on doors, who put things on letterboxes, hand out how-to-votes and the people who buy a raffle ticket and really campaign for the cause of Labor.

“There was an audit of the New South Wales branch that fixed these matters. We brought in Michael Lavarch, the former Commonwealth Attorney-General. The branch has been restructured. And there are new Party officers in place. And the New South Wales branch is better and stronger for it.”

Victoria's Minister for Women has condemned the language used by sacked Labor minister Adem Somyurek saying 'words matter', following an investigation into branch stacking in Victoria. Federal Labor Leader @AlboMP joined us to respond to the crisis. #Studio10 pic.twitter.com/tseau3PNP3
— Studio 10 (@Studio10au) June 15, 2020

Mr Albanese rejected claims, raised in the secret tapes, that he needed protection or was beholden to the factional leaders.

“No. None whatsoever. This guy, his activities are really confined to Victoria. He was a member of the National Executive for a short period of time but never made a contribution to that body,’’ he said.

“From time to time, these things happen. What is important is that when people become aware of it, they are prepared to take action. And I have always been prepared to take action when I see wrongdoing. I have done it consistently. I removed John Setka from the Labor Party. I have taken action here along with Daniel Andrews. I took action to restructure the New South Wales branch. And, so, you know, I have been prepared to do that wherever I have seen it. The Labor Party today is a stronger party than it was on Monday morning.”

The scandal claimed a third victim today: Labor frontbencher Marlene Kairouz resigned to clear her name at the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption inquiry in Victoria.

Just 24 hours earlier she had assured the Victorian Premier that she had nothing to be ashamed of, a position she still insists is true.

“I no longer want these matters to be a distraction to the Government,” Marlene Kairouz said in a statement.

“They have placed enormous pressure on my family and caused them great distress.”