IBAC: Kick out all branch stackers now, says Peter Beattie

Peter Beattie has called for the ­expulsion of branch stackers from political parties after the latest revelations at the anti-corruption inquiry in Victoria.

Former Queensland premier Peter Beattie. Picture: Mike Burton

Peter Beattie has called for the ­expulsion of branch stackers from political parties after the latest revelations at the anti-corruption inquiry in Victoria.

The long-serving former Queensland premier, whose then minority government was rocked with electoral fraud allegations two decades ago, said he was angry at the damage branch stacking was doing to the Labor Party.

Mr Beattie said recent media reports revealed that branch stacking was also evident in the Liberal Party and that political leaders on both sides needed to take strong action.

Revelations of false enrolments and branch stacking by MPs and Labor officials at an anti-corruption inquiry in Queensland led to the resig­nations of then deputy premier Jim Elder and fellow MPs Mike Kaiser and Grant Musgrove.

The scandal began in 2000 when then Labor candidate Karen Ehrmann was jailed for fraud amid evidence it was widespread in Labor.

That led to the establishment of the Shepherdson inquiry by the then Criminal Justice Commission, which later found Mr Elder, Mr Kaiser – a former ALP state secretary, who is now a departmental head in the Palaszczuk government – and Mr Musgrove guilty of various offences.

Mr Beattie said the MPs were forced to quit parliament and the ALP and he later toughened up laws against electoral rorts.

Mr Elder – who was found to have falsely enrolled extended family members and others to help branch-stack in his electorate – quit as soon as the alle­gations came to light.

A number of other people named in the inquiry were also expelled from the party.

Despite the scandal, Mr ­Beattie later used the corruption within the Labor Party as a successful argument for voters to re-elect his government.

In January the next year, Mr Beattie called an early election, which he won with 48.9 per cent of the primary vote and a record 66 out of 89 seats in the unicameral parliament.

In a statement, Mr Beattie said “branch stacking is a slight on Australian democracy, regardless of whether it is in the Liberal or Labor parties.”

“The solution is not just the ­exposure from open inquiries, it comes down to the character of the current leadership having the moral fortitude to rid their respective parties of the stackers.

“We did this in Queensland in 2000 and 2001.

“It was a painful but necessary step.

“It could have cost us government but we were rewarded by an intelligent electoral that respected honesty.

“Those responsible for stacking should be expelled from their respective parties, not protected.

“They should also face appropriate legal penalties.”