Disgraced Labor MP Adem Somyurek sensationally claims Daniel Andrews was aware of red shirts rort

Disgraced MP Adem Somyurek has told IBAC he was initiated into a culture where branch stacking and politics were “intertwined” within the Labor Party.

An electorate officer for Adem Somyurek’s told corruption ­investigators he was ordered not to attend the MP’s office – and described his casual job as “free money by the taxpayer”.

And the disgraced MP told allies he had had “near misses” when he performed factional activities while a cabinet minister.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission was on Tuesday shown damning evidence of taxpayer money being rorted for internal Labor Party games.

This included a timesheet for Jacob Cripps, who was paid casually as an electorate officer for Mr Somyurek.

The powerbroker signed the document, which stated payment could not be made for party political work, and listed him as “working on a project” across multiple days.

Counsel assisting the commission, Chris Carr SC, said Mr Cripps had spoken to IBAC and told them he was told not to go into the electorate office.

He said the staffer made it clear he did not do electorate work and that the job was “free money by the taxpayer ­because he was going through a tough time”. The dates on the timesheet coincided with a bitter period in 2020 when with Mr Somyurek’s Moderates group was locked in a branch- stacking war in Melbourne’s southeast.

Mr Cripps was assisting the group and the MP had even written him a list of factional responsibilities.

A smiling Adem Somyurek answers questions at the IBAC hearing.

In further evidence of rorting, another staffer was paid full time by two different politicians for working on the exact same day.

Time sheets indicated Salazar Youhorn worked in Mr Somyurek’s office on June 18, 2020 while also “working from home” for Meng Heang Tak.

“You’ve lied on the timesheets, and you know what he’s doing,” Mr Carr said to Mr Somyurek on Tuesday.

“He’s ‘fixing member discrepancies’ in Heang’s office. What about that is not corruption?”

Mr Sonyurek replied: “Yes, OK.”

IBAC heard that another ally, Dr Hussein Haraco, was paid for five days’ work during lockdown despite not logging into his computer once.

“Now, that suggests that he whatever he might have been doing it certainly wasn’t electorate office work that he was paid for on those days,” Mr Carr said.

A secret tape of Mr Somyurek, ex-minister Marlene Kairouz and their workers showed the group discussing how best to organise factional work during taxpayer-funded time.

The meeting went for four hours in the middle of the day.

At one point in the recording, Mr Somyurek said they had to plan better because “I’ve got my ministerial jobs to do ... There was near-misses a couple of times with my ministerial work so I’ve had to go and do some of this work”.

A series of messages between Mr Somyurek and Holt MP Anthony Byrne showed the relationship between the friends had frayed by 2017,

And he MP was worried that federal deputy Leader Richard Marles was poaching allies.

Federal Opposition Leader Anthony Albanese was on Tuesday grilled about claims Mr Marles was the beneficiary of branch-stacking, but said he had nothing to answer for: “There is no suggestion that he’s done anything wrong.”

SOMYUREK: ‘GONNA MAKE THE INDIANS PAY’

Earlier on Tuesday, Adem Somyurek revealed he regularly discussed putting allies into taxpayer-funded roles working for Labor MPs, despite admitting they would have little to do and assigning them factional work.

He also said “I’m gonna make the Indians pay” when discussing alleged branch stacking in Melbourne’s southeast, the state’s anti-corruption watchdog has heard.

The Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission is currently holding public hearings examining the misuse of taxpayer resources for party political activity.

On Tuesday, Mr Somyurek was shown multiple text and phone exchanges where he discusses staffers working on certain days in the office of state MPs.

In one text chain, he talks to a factional ally named Xavier Williams about two young people getting work with former minister Robin Scott and Northcote MP Kat Theophanous.

“I think if both Jake and Nathan are in the system as ground level operatives they will be very effective,” Mr Williams wrote to the powerbroker.

Mr Somyurek later said “we’ll do something for him” about one of the workers once they finished a current internship.

In another phone call about “Jake and Nathan”, he discusses finding jobs for the pair.

“I mean these guys are gonna be in a f---ing office, not much to do. They need to be doing grunt work, but I want them to sort of report, too,” Mr Somyurek says on the recording.

“These guys will be the chief, the central point for all things (Labor faction) Centre Unity from databases to whatever.

“Because they’re going to be sitting in an office with not much work.”

The commission was also shown a list of factional jobs Mr Somyurek had compiled for electorate staff working in these offices, which he maintained was not intensive and came second to their real job.

“The volume of the factional work is just not there,” he said.

Late on Tuesday morning, IBAC was played a phone call from March 2020 in which Mr Somyurek discusses payments for Labor Party memberships with an unnamed person.

In the recording, Mr Somyurek discusses electorate office staff having to come out of the city to help with efforts to renew party memberships and fill out applications.

“I don’t want them to know the money stuff,” he said on the recording.

“What can they do, these guys?

“I’m gonna make these guys run around.”

The discussion took place at a time when the powerbroker claimed he was “at war” with Premier Daniel Andrews Socialist Left faction over branch stacking in the southeast.

“We thought it was for the war,” he said.

“Seven days later the war was finished.”

On the recording, Mr Somyurek also says their efforts will be assisted because it will involve large sections of the Indian community.

“I’m gonna make the Indians pay,” he is heard to have said.

The other person on the line then refers to “the big Kumars” in an apparent reference to a prominent family from the Subcontinent Friends of Labor group.

This then sparks a complaint from Mr Somyurek about the way these brothers were treated by Nick McLennan, a staffer closely linked to him.

“You’re talking about people who are bringing you all these f---ing numbers,” he said.

“You don’t treat them like that.”

ANDREWS BRUSHES OFF TESTIMONY

Daniel Andrews has again refused to address damaging claims made by his former minister Adem Somyurek in public IBAC hearings.

The Premier brushed off multiple questions about comments made by Mr Somyurek during Monday’s hearing, including allegations that he said “do you want to win an election or not?” when concerns were first raised about the red shirts scandal.

“I’m not getting into a debate or discussion about evidence that’s been led by that witness or any other witnesses,” Mr Andrews said as he spruiked his government’s Metro Tunnel project.

“I wouldn’t do that if there was a court case on it.

I won’t be doing that with IBAC and I’ve been very consistent about that.”

It comes despite former premiers John Brumby and Steve Bracks, who were both mentioned by Mr Somyurek in the hearings, responding to the claims within hours.

“Well, with the greatest of respect to them and to you, they’re not the current premier,” Mr Andrews said when asked why he wouldn’t address the allegations.

“They’re not running the government at the moment. They’re not burdened with responsibilities that me and my team have. It’s a great honour, but it does mean that you’re somewhat limited.

WATCH IBAC STREAM LIVE

“As a former premier, you perhaps have got much greater scope to be able to talk about all sorts of things. I would direct you to those comments. I’m not going to add to them.”

He added: “You’ve got a job to do, so do I, but my job does not include trampling all over an independent process and it certainly does not include replicating with you good people exactly the process that’s ongoing now. IBAC is doing its job and we should let it do that. I’m not here to run a commentary on any testimony that’s been led and the evidence has been led. To do so, I think, is totally inappropriate”.

Mr Andrews said he would not feel compelled to respond to any allegations or claims that Mr Somyurek may make in coming days.

Mr Somyurek will continue to provide evidence in public hearings on Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.

Mr Andrews refused to say whether he had been called to IBAC, but said he would front the stand if asked.

“Of course, every Victorian should participate fully if they’re asked … If you want to know who’s going to appear at IBAC or who has already, then the people to talk to are IBAC.”

He did, however, refuse to outline whether he would front a public hearing over a private hearing, citing that was a matter for IBAC.

Adem Somyurek has sensationally claimed Premier Daniel Andrews was aware of Labor’s red shirts rorting scandal ahead of the 2014 election.

When asked if Mr Somyurek has raised any concerns with him over the Labor Party’s red shirt scandal before the 2014 election, Mr Andrews referred to the Ombudsman’s report.

“We apologised for the way in which things had occurred. The party paid back the money. I have spoken to you guys for literally hours and hours about those matters. I would just direct you to those comments,” he said.

“We were deeply regretful for what had occurred. We accepted responsibility for it and we move forward but beyond that I really don’t have anything more to add.”

Mr Andrews also refused to say whether he was ever involved in negotiating a branch stacking peace deal in the early 2000s, despite having been asked directly by the Herald Sun on numerous occasions.

“As you rightly point out, you’ve asked me that question many times. My answer won’t change,” he said.

“I’m not prepared to walk away from my fundamental responsibilities by running commentary and replicating a process. It’s live. It’s happening right now.

“Points for asking. You’ve got a job to do, but I’ve got a job to do, as well, and sometimes that doesn’t mean that in the midst of a process I can be giving you the commentary that you’d want. The day will come for that, (and that is) when we get a report.”

Mr Andrews said he hadn’t spoken to Mr Somyurek since the morning he left the ministry.

“I’m pretty sure that’d be it,” he said, adding that he didn’t regret promoting the now independent MP to his ministry.

Adem Somyurek is testifying at IBAC hearings this week. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

SOMYUREK’S TESTIMONY BOMBSHELLS

Premier Daniel Andrews is alleged to have quipped “do you want to win an election or not?” when colleague Adem Somyurek raised concerns about a “gold standard” rort to boost Labor’s 2014 campaign.

In sensational evidence given under oath to the Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission on Monday, Mr Somyurek ­detailed the then-opposition leader’s ­rebuff after he questioned the “extraordinary” scam.

Two years after the Herald Sun exposed the “red shirts” rort, Ombudsman Deborah Glass slammed the scheme as an “artifice” to boost campaign coffers, with Labor forced to repay $388,000 in misused taxpayer money.

Mr Andrews has ­previously denied any MPs had raised concerns about the scheme with him.

Mr Somyurek also claimed during the ­explosive IBAC hearing that he and Mr ­Andrews had cooked up a peace deal to put a stop to branch-stacking in the southeastern ­suburbs.

The Premier has repeatedly dismissed suggestions he was ever involved in branch stacking.

IBAC also heard evidence of Mr Somyurek’s taxpayer-funded office staff doing little to no ­actual work for his electorate, instead focusing on amassing factional power.

Former Labor powerbroker Mr Somyurek said Mr Andrews indicated he was aware of the “red shirts” scheme when he raised the issued with the then-opposition leader ahead of the 2014 election.

“He said … words to the effect, ‘ … do you want to win an election or not’, basically,” Mr Somyurek said.

The claim that Mr Andrews was made aware of the rort was first aired during a parliamentary inquiry in 2018, with the premier at the time saying he didn’t believe the issue had been raised with him.

It will again put the Premier under pressure to explain his knowledge of the scheme.

Deputy Premier James Merlino said on Monday that Mr Somyurek’s claim did not align with how the Premier usually referred to the spending of public funds.

He said “no” when asked whether they were “the sorts of things you’ve heard Dan Andrews say about using taxpayer-funded money for political purposes”.

“I appreciate the question, but we’ve got IBAC proceedings happening right now, it is completely inappropriate for me to comment on evidence that has been provided to IBAC today,” Mr Merlino said.

Mr Somyurek also said there was a “unity ticket” among parties about not cracking down harder on the use of electorate officers in the wake of the Victorian ­Ombudsman’s red shirts ­report. This was because the use of these staff was widespread and the disgraced MP said that if anything, the process had shown politicians it was OK in some instances.

“When the Ombudsman had the gold standard rort and didn’t actually smack it down sufficiently, we all thought, ‘wow, it is carte blanche,’ ” he told the commission.

IBAC Commissioner Robert Redlich looked visibly shocked while Mr Somyurek described this version of events.

“Parliament is the first place to ensure that not only members, but staff, confine their activities to complying with and discharging their public duties,” Mr Redlich said.

Mr Somyurek said that in the 1990s the Labor Party’s Left and Right factions were going at it “hammer and tong” signing up new members into branches in the southeast.

This work became particularly active in the lead up to preselections for the federal seat of Holt, currently occupied by Mr Somyurek’s former ally Anthony Byrne.

He said that it was around this time he believed Mr Andrews was “organising” for the Left while Mr Byrne was “leading the charge from the Right”.

Mr Byrne was ultimately selected and a peace deal was agreed upon among influential party figures.

Adem Somyurek’s former ally, Anthony Byrne.

“There were more than 1000 members in Holt,” Mr Somyurek said. “By the time we got to 2019 that was reduced to about 200.”

When quizzed by his own lawyers, Mr Somyurek said at one point he had been in “constant contact” with Mr Andrews about the deal.

“There were really bad things that happened … during the Holt preselection,” he said.

“There was government largesse, council largesse, being used for factions to win votes over. People would have ended up in jail if that culture persisted. Mr Andrews was realistic to understand that and so was I.

“We wanted to go into parliament and pursue our parliamentary careers.”

Mr Andrews has denied engaging in branch stacking but has avoided questions on his knowledge of the peace deal.

Mr Somyurek said that in his view Labor’s Left had “invented” the practice of branch stacking among ethnic groups.

He also accused the faction of breaking this agreement by late 2019. “(The Left) had already recruited 350 members or so,” he said.

Mr Somyurek also said many senior factional figures had started off branch-stacking in taxpayer-funded offices and that Geelong became a new battleground after the 1990s.

“A lot of activity, Richard Marles and John Eren – Tayfun Eren’s brother, the notorious branch stacker,” Mr Somyurek said.

Adem Somyurek claimed Labor’s left faction ‘invented’ branch stacking.

“(Stephen) Conroy’s model was to send them into different areas, induce them with seats if they had stacked a lot.”

Mr Somyurek said these people and their allies had all risen through the ranks to become MPs along with Mr Marles’ former partner and now Police Minister Lisa Neville.

In the western suburbs, Mr Somyurek accused Jasvinder Sidhu of being the “new Tayfun Eren”.

In another tense exchange with the commission, the factional figure said there was a “Bracks and Brumby deal” under previous governments that allowed each faction a ministerial staffer for factional work. He was warned about making assertions to others he could not prove.

“It is not hearsay. They just said that it is official,” Mr Somyurek said. “I invite you to make your own inquiries.”

Both former premiers denied the claim when contacted by the Herald Sun.

“No such deal existed. He obviously told an untruth to the commission,” Mr Bracks said.

Late on Monday, it was revealed that Emma Walters, the wife of CFMEU boss John Setka was tasked with her own review of Mr Somyurek’s office and found taxpayer-funded staff that had almost nothing to do.

Mr Somyurek was shown call logs that showed his electorate office received less than two calls a day despite having multiple staff throughout the week. In her review, Ms Walters said staff appeared to be doing “their own thing” and that this appeared to include factional work.

Jasvinder Sidhu with Daniel Andrews.

MARLES HAS ‘NOTHING TO ANSWER FOR’

Federal Labor leader Anthony Albanese says his deputy Richard Marles had “nothing to answer for”, after being named in bombshell evidence to an anti-corruption inquiry.

Former Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek told the Independent Broad-Based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) on Monday that many senior factional figures had started off branch-stacking in taxpayer-funded electorate offices.

“A lot of activity, Richard Marles and John Eren – Tayfun Eren’s brother, the notorious branch stacker,” Mr Somyurek said.

Mr Albanese was on Tuesday grilled about claims Mr Marles was the beneficiary of branch-stacking.

“Richard Marles has nothing to answer for,” he said.

“There is no suggestion that he’s done anything wrong.”

Mr Albanese also tried to downplay the issue saying the big issue in Victoria was allegations Assistant Treasurer Michael Sukkar knew about a branch-stacking scheme.

Mr Sukkar has strenuously denied the allegations. But Mr Albanese said it was a reminder that a strong National Anti-Corruption Commission was needed.

Originally published as Disgraced Labor MP Adem Somyurek sensationally claims Daniel Andrews was aware of red shirts rort