Branch stacking scandal: Daniel Andrews bans ministerial staff from holding ALP positions

Daniel Andrews has banned ministerial staff from holding elected positions in the Labor Party, amid widespread allegations of branch-stacking.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews. Picture: AAP

Daniel Andrews has banned ministerial staff in his government from holding elected positions in the Labor Party, amid widespread allegations of branch-stacking and factional activity by taxpayer-funded staff.

In a letter sent to ministerial staff on Monday afternoon, Mr Andrews’ Chief of Staff Lissie Ratcliff said a longstanding rule that staff in the Premier’s office agree not to hold elected positions in the ALP or act as proxies in party forums would be expanded to apply to all ministerial offices.

“This is to ensure that we can never be put in a situation of having to take a public position against the government and because our office is here to support every member of the caucus,” Ms Ratcliff wrote.

“I wanted to let you know that for the purposes of providing absolute clarity about the role and focus of all staff across the government, those rules will now be expanded to apply to all ministerial offices from the beginning of next week.

“This includes, but is not limited to, state and national conference delegates, branch executives, Young Labor Executive and membership of Committees of State Conference including the Administrative Committee, the Public Office Selection Committee, Rules Revision Committee, Agenda Committee and all other elected positions in Party forums.

“These rules also apply to factional leadership positions.”

The move comes after several staff members in the offices of Labor MPs Marlene Kairouz and Robin Scott — who resigned from cabinet amid the scandal last week — were accused of engaging in branch-stacking and other factional activities while working as ministerial advisers.

The convener of Premier Andrews’ Socialist Left faction of the ALP, Mat Hilakari, also works part time as a senior adviser to Mental Health and Equality Minister Martin Foley.

Ms Ratcliff noted that there had in the past “been a handful of instances of staff holding part-time roles in ministerial offices while also working part-time in electorate offices.”

“Again, for the avoidance of doubt, those arrangements will also no longer be permitted,” she wrote.

“Finally, in the event that a ministerial staffer decides to run for preselection, they must take leave (paid or unpaid) from the date of their nomination.

“I appreciate that some of these arrangements mean not everyone is able to participate in the party in all the ways you might like while you serve in the government, but ensuring our staffing arrangements are completely beyond reproach is of the utmost importance.

“Thank you for your ongoing observance of these arrangements and please feel free to chat to your director if you have any questions.”