Napthine suspends Geoff Shaw as ALP pushes expulsion

REBEL Victorian independent Geoff Shaw faces a lengthy suspension from state parliament and possible expulsion.

Geoff Shaw in the Victorian parliament, which will vote today on whether to suspend the maverick MP. Picture: Alex Coppel

REBEL Victorian independent Geoff Shaw faces a lengthy suspension from state parliament and possible expulsion under a deal backed by the besieged Napthine government.

Parliament will today vote on a government motion suspending Mr Shaw until parliament returns on September 2 and if he fails to repay more than $6800 for rorting his car and fuel card allowances, he will be expelled.

Mr Shaw will be excluded for 11 sitting days but that will take him out of the parliament until September 2 in what many opposition and government MPs believe would be a career-ending suspension.

He would also be banned from interstate or overseas travel funded by his electorate allowance but would be allowed to access his parliamentary office and campaign in his southern Melbourne electorate of Frankston.

Labor has savaged the compromise, arguing that Mr Shaw deserves expulsion for having rorted his parliamentary petrol card and car, which led to a highly critical privileges committee report, a police investigation and a probe by the ombudsman.

Labor is expected to attempt to amend the 11-point Coalition ­suspension motion to force an ­expulsion.

The suspension or expulsion of Mr Shaw will lead to a new era of instability in the parliament, with the numbers in the Legislative ­Assembly currently falling 44 ­Coalition, 43 Labor and Mr Shaw.

Former Victorian Speaker Ken Smith was last night weighing up whether to back the ­Coalition or Labor, having previously demanded that Mr Shaw be expelled.

Mr Shaw is believed to have left parliament late yesterday in a battered people mover, having received support from several of his closest backers.

Premier Denis Napthine said last night that he expected Mr Smith — normally a close ally — to examine the motion to be put to the parliament today.

“I expect Ken Smith to give serious consideration to matters before the house,” he said.

The decision to push Mr Shaw’s suspension — if accepted — would effectively rule out any hope Labor would have of an early by-election, although Dr Napthine said he had advice that suggested one could still be held before November 29.

This is, however, extremely unlikely given the state will be in a full-scale election campaign by late October in time for a November 29 election.

Asked whether he could make the parliament work without Mr Shaw’s vote, Dr Napthine said: “We will continue to govern for the people of Victoria.”

His absence would lead to 43 Coalition votes, plus the Speaker, with 43 Labor votes. This dynamic will put Speaker Christine Fyffe in an invidious position.

Earlier, Mr Shaw posed for a photograph with school students, declaring the media were “vultures” and “scum”.

He also told reporters he believed that he was being pursued because of his anti-abortion ­beliefs.

Labor leader Daniel Andrews said Labor would seek to amend the Coalition motion to back expulsion. “This is nothing more than a slap on the wrist; Labor does not support this motion.”