Daniel Andrews responds to wild branch stacking claims in heated question time

Victorian parliament has erupted into a wild screaming match, with Daniel Andrews forced to respond to claims of branch stacking.

Parliament has erupted into a wild screaming match after the Opposition leader put sensational accusations of branch stacking to Daniel Andrews during a heated question time.

Liberal Party leader Michael O’Brien referenced dumped Labor MP Adem Somyurek’s latest claim that the Premier was involved in branch stacking activity dating to the 1990s in Melbourne’s southeast.

He referenced the 2020-21 Victorian budget, questioning why the government had provided $4.4 million less to the The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission than the previous year.

He also asserted the funding cut was “an attempt to ensure this investigation never gets to you”.

Victorian Opposition leader Michael O’Brien has put claims of branch stacking to the Premier. Picture: David Geraghty/NCA NewsWire

Mr Andrews hit back saying the Attorney-General “made the reference to IBAC”, speaking to the motivations of the government “getting to the bottom of what has occurred”.

The Premier then went on to say it was “not the only investigation IBAC is currently conducting”, before the Opposition leader yelled out in retaliation.

It triggered a screaming match between the two sides of politics until the Speaker stood up and threatened to throw members out of the chamber if they continued their antics.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews has defended his government’s investment into IBAC. Picture: David Geraghty/NCA NewsWire

After a moment’s silence Mr Andrews referred Mr O’Brien to his original answer and added: “It wouldn’t matter if there are 100 IBAC investigations, there’s one the leader of the Opposition will never mention because it’s into him and his colleagues.”

Addressing a “funding cut” to IBAC, after it was noted the Andrews government invested $42.2 million to the anti-corruption commission in the 2020-21 Budget as opposed to the $46.6 million in the 2019-20 Budget, the Premier said Mr O’Brien was “simply wrong”.

“There was a financial year where IBAC did not spend all of their allocated money,” Mr Andrews said.

“The Treasurer is perfectly within his rights to recall that money as an underspend … that did not occur, that money was retained and expended in a subsequent year.”