NSW Labor MP Julia Finn steps down over branch stacking allegations

Julia Finn will stand aside from the shadow ministry over allegations of branch stacking within her Sydney electorate.

Granville state Labor MP Julia Finn.

A NSW Labor frontbencher will step down from the shadow ministry over allegations of branch stacking within her western Sydney electorate.

Julia Finn, Labor’s shadow minister for consumer protection, issued a statement on Friday saying she maintained her innocence in relation to the allegations, but that she had stepped aside so an internal tribunal could urgently consider “matters raised about me” within an independent review of the allegations.

“I have asked that any steps required for this to happen be taken,” Ms Finn said. “I maintain my innocence of any wrongdoing, as was the finding of the independent review.”

The Australian reported on Tuesday that the NSW Labor had taken on the findings of the review recommending that it intervene in a number of its branches amid allegations of impropriety and faked records.

Federal leader Anthony Albanese and NSW Labor leader Jodi McKay ordered the review late last year after allegations emerged in an anonymous dossier that attendance books had been falsified. It was also alleged that some officials had been signing up members and paying for their membership fees, in contravention of party rules.

Branch-stacking involves establishing ideological voting blocs within a party branch to undermine party preselections.

The review did not single out Ms Finn for any wrongdoing, but instead recommended a number of branch members appear before the ALP’s internal tribunal.