Labor’s alleged use of taxpayer-funded staffers to be probed by IBAC
The Victorian Labor party has refused to hand over details requested by IBAC during its probe into misuse of taxpayer resources.
Victoria
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Victorian Labor has refused to hand over important information to the state’s anti-corruption watchdog, prompting a warning more people could be compelled to give evidence.
It comes amid revelations a taxpayer-funded staffer and husband of Kaushaliya Vaghela sent just one work email in 2020, and the Labor MP admitted her husband may have been performing factional work out of electorate offices.
The Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission on Monday heard the Victorian branch of the party had not handed over details requested during its probe into misuse of taxpayer resources.
Counsel assisting the commission Chris Carr, SC, said Steve Bracks and Jenny Macklin had last year assured that Labor members would co-operate fully with IBAC.
But he said a request for a statement on several issues and also for information discovered by the pair last year during an audit of the party and its memberships had been blocked.
“Unfortunately, so far, the solicitors for the Victorian branch of the ALP have declined the request to provide that assistance,” Mr Carr said.
“If that voluntary process is not productive, it will be necessary for such evidence to be obtained through compulsory processes, including the summoning of additional witnesses to give evidence at these hearings.”
It comes as the commission was on Monday shown details of a private interview with Ms Vaghela, a Western Metro MP linked to Adem Somyurek’s Moderates faction.
In part of the transcript read out loud, investigators asked whether her husband, Dinesh Chauhan, was mainly performing factional work out of the offices of Mr Somyurek and his allies Marlene Kairouz and Robin Scott. She was told Mr Chauhan sent just one office email in 2020.
“Yes,” Ms Vaghela said.
“I don’t know what work he was doing.
“If there were not emails or if they hadn’t assigned him any task … What else would be there, other than factional work?”
IBAC on Monday grilled Christine Kelly, another staffer in Ms Kairouz’s office.
Ms Kelly maintained she had never been involved in factional work, despite being shown letters from Ms Kairouz’s office authorising her to pick up ballots for internal elections. The corruption watchdog was also given a glimpse into the factional warfare playing out in Melbourne’s western suburbs between the Moderates and Daniel Andrews’ own Socialist Left faction.
They read out a 2019 complaint written by former Jill Hennessy staffer Cameron Warasta showing frustrations that Ms Kairouz’s employees were at a Derrimut branch meeting, allegedly directing members to sign on.
Mr Warasta left the party and Ms Hennessy’s office this year after he was sent a please explain letter from Victorian Labor during an internal branch stacking audit.
Originally published as Labor’s alleged use of taxpayer-funded staffers to be probed by IBAC
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