Adem Somyurek to call for widening of IBAC investigation amid factional bloodbath

Adem Somyurek’s threat comes amid a factional bloodbath which will see at least half a dozen of his former allies disendorsed.

Adem Somyurek. Picture: Jake Nowakowski

Dumped Labor powerbroker Adem Somyurek says he will move a motion in Victoria’s upper house to have the Andrews government’s “Red Shirts” rort ­referred to the state’s corruption watchdog.

Amid the ongoing Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission investigation into allegations of branch stacking made against him and his former factional allies, Mr Somyurek said his motion would call for other ALP members he accuses of ­involvement in the practice to be similarly probed.

His threat comes amid a factional bloodbath in the Victorian Labor Party ahead of nominations for preselection for the 2022 state election closing on Friday, with at least half a dozen of his former ­allies – including former ministers Luke Donnellan, Marlene Kairouz and Robin Scott – set to be disendorsed, alongside AWU faction MP Cesar Melhem and unaligned MP Frank McGuire.

“IBAC can’t ignore an upper house motion specifically naming (Premier Daniel) Andrews as it would be identical to the matters they are investigating,” Mr Somyurek tweeted, accusing the IBAC of “protecting Dan”.

Mr McGuire, meanwhile, ­decried his depiction in the media as being aligned with Mr Somyurek’s faction, as members of other groupings disenfranchised by the factional realignment said they believed his extremely safe northern suburbs seat of Broadmeadows was being targeted because it was “juicy real estate” for power-hungry party operatives.

“I am not a member of the faction under IBAC investigation for branch stacking and have had no involvement in such breaches of ALP rules,” Mr McGuire said.

He also distanced himself from the “Red Shirts” rort, which saw Labor forced to repay $388,000 after the Ombudsman found it had spent taxpayers’ money on party political campaign staff ahead of the 2014 election.

“I am not a factional power-player, never have been. Unfortunately, my independence has left me vulnerable to changing factional alliances within the Victorian Labor Party,” said Mr McGuire, who is the brother of media personality Eddie McGuire “The (ALP) national executive’s intervention in the current preselection process is in ­response to ­allegations of corrupt behaviour by sitting MPs. I welcomed this opportunity for scrutiny and ­accountability to be delivered.

“This process and the media have been manipulated to lump me in with those under investigation, when I have had nothing to do with it.

“The national executive must make responsible decisions. It must not be weaponised as part of a factional powerplay.”