Napthine to stall debate on rebel MP Geoff Shaw

THE Napthine government will stall debate on rebel independent Geoff Shaw’s future until the budget is passed next week.

THE Napthine government will stall debate on rebel independent Geoff Shaw’s future until the ­budget is passed next week, ­robbing Labor of oxygen and exposing Opposition Leader Daniel Andrews to internal scrutiny over his plan to expel the rebel ­independent.

Victorian Treasurer Michael O’Brien said yesterday the budget would receive priority over any move by parliament to punish Mr Shaw, potentially putting back a vote on Mr Shaw’s indiscretions until as late as Thursday.

The decision comes as Mr Andrews faces increasing internal pressure over his position that Mr Shaw should be expelled from the parliament — the first such move since the turn of last century — rather than suspended.

Mr Shaw’s misuse of his government car and petrol card has close parallels with former prime minister Julia Gillard’s partner using her car to drive around Victoria selling shampoo and other haircare products, which led to her writing a personal cheque in 2007 to the Department of Finance for $4243.

Mr Shaw has been ordered by the parliament’s privileges committee to repay about $6800 for allowing his car and petrol card to be used for his then business and faces being booted from the ­parliament.

Mr Andrews and Labor are pushing for Mr Shaw to be expelled from the parliament, potentially creating a precedent that would expose many MPs over time to being ejected permanently from parliament.

Mr O’Brien also yesterday accused Labor of planning to knock back part of the budget next week, a claim denied by the ALP.

Mr O’Brien said there were significant issues with trying to expel Mr Shaw and the government needed to carefully consider its position. “It’s the parliament of Victoria, it’s not the Big Brother house. You can’t just evict people because they are unpopular,’’ Mr O’Brien said.

He said the budget would take priority over Mr Shaw, which suggests one member of the Coalition — or even Mr Shaw — will deny Labor leave to debate the independent’s future when parliament resumes on Tuesday.

An expulsion could lead to a by-election in the outer suburban seat of Frankston and potentially bring down the government. The parliament consists of 44 ­Coalition MPs, 43 Labor MPs and Mr Shaw.

Senior Labor MPs are concerned Mr Andrews has gone too far, a view held by many Coalition MPs and constitutional experts.

“What will we do when someone is guilty of something serious — behead them?’’ a senior Labor MP said yesterday.

The government is most likely to back a suspension, although former speaker Ken Smith wants the punishment to mean that Mr Shaw never returns to parliament. This could be done by the parliament suspending Mr Shaw for seven sitting weeks.