Dirt sheet penned by Karina Okotel central to factional allegiances

The political attack sheet penned by former federal Liberal vice-president Karina Okotel against seven Victorian state MPs is threatening the power balance in the party.

Karina Okotel faces expulsion from the Liberal Party. Picture: AAP

The political attack sheet penned by former federal Liberal vice-president Karina Okotel against seven Victorian state MPs is threatening to significantly affect the power balance in the party.

Party officials are finalising their investigations into Ms Okotel and several others, with Ms Okotel facing potential expulsion under party rules for allegedly plotting to overthrow the MPs.

Ms Okotel, whose votes help keep the current Liberal administrative leadership in power, wrote a document before the 2018 state election that covered details of some MPs’ private lives as well as a series of criticisms of seven upper house MPs.

It was part of a plan to replace them with herself and six other new candidates.

As part of the internal investigation, at least two party members have appeared before the party’s administrative committee to explain their positions before the party chooses whether to expel them.

Ms Okotel’s critics have privately accused her of avoiding this part of the process despite being visible in the recent preselection battle for the federal seat of Menzies.

The Australian understands, however, that Ms Okotel has co-operated extensively behind the scenes with investigators and maintains that the document was circulated to only two people.

The contents of the document were revealed by The Australian last year, outraging many in the Liberal Party.

Anyone who is found guilty of conduct “gravely detrimental” to the best interests of the party can be expelled or suspended. This can include being disloyal to the party and can then trigger a long process that can ultimately be prosecuted if a two-thirds ­majority of the Victorian branch’s state assembly is reached.

The Australian is not suggesting Ms Okotel has breached party rules, only that an investigation is under way.

Ms Okotel has privately admitted writing the document but says it was never meant to be published or circulated.

In the document, she argues frontbencher Edward O’Donohue should be replaced, in part because he is a “white man”.

Ms Okotel is believed to have recently had another child, which may have limited her ability to travel and she has not wanted to appear before the administrative committee because of potential leaks.

Victorian Liberal sources said Ms Okotel is a conservative who drove recruitment of religious candidates for preselection while she was a member of the old conservative faction led by businessman Marcus Bastiaan.

In 2018, Ms Okotel switched her support from the Bastiaan forces and, with as much as 10 per cent of the internal party vote, has significant potential influence.

Ms Okotel quit the faction because she argued too few ­religious-based candidates were being favoured.

Sources from both sides of the factional divide have said it is hard to determine the number of votes Ms Okotel now controls.

There are internal party ballots under way and a looming state council that will lay bare the ­extent of Ms Okotel’s numerical influence.

The speculation is that her support may have suffered because of the controversy over the attack sheet and her past connections to the Bastiaan forces.

A senior state MP loyal to party leader Michael O’Brien said that it had been made clear to party president Robert Clark that Ms Okotel should be expelled.

“If we don’t clean out these problems when we have the ­opportunity then they just fester,” the MP said.

“Robert has been told she should go. It needs to happen.”

Ms Okotel did not respond for publication.