Two Liberal candidates face investigation for false address claims

Two Liberal Party candidates are facing investigations for allegedly lodging false addresses outside their electorates.

A property in Everton Park related to the LNP candidate for the seat of Lilley, Vivian Lobo. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/The Australian

Two Liberal Party candidates are facing investigations for allegedly lodging false addresses outside their electorates.

Queensland Labor referred Vivian Lobo, the LNP’s candidate for the ultra-marginal Opposition-held seat of Lilley, to the AEC, citing a report in The ­Australian about his claim to ­be living in a house – which was seemingly ­deserted – in the electorate on Brisbane’s north side.

Under the Commonwealth Electoral Act, registering a false address is “enrolment fraud” carrying a penalty of 12 months’ jail.

On Thursday, The Australian photographed Mr Lobo at 7am leaving his inner-city home, over 20 minutes away from his electorate – once the seat of former deputy prime minister Wayne Swan – and held by Labor incumbent Anika Wells on a 0.6 per cent margin. Mr Lobo’s registered ­address in Everton Park was ­unfurnished and uninhabited.

He was preselected after the sudden withdrawal of the previous LNP candidate, Ryan Shaw, who pulled out in late February citing mental health issues.

In a letter to the AEC, ALP state secretary Julie-Ann Campbell said Mr Lobo should be investigated for allegedly not living at the address at which he is enrolled.

“Given today’s media reports, I also express concern as to ­whether Mr Lobo included false information on his nomination form,” Ms Campbell said.

“If the evidence provided in ­recent media reports is correct, Mr Lobo would not be entitled to be enrolled at his Everton Park address because he does not live at the address.

“There is a substantial reason to believe that Mr Lobo’s enrolment is not legitimate and merits investigation by the AEC.”

Mr Lobo denied this, asserting to The Australian that he hadn’t yet moved into the residence and was moving in the day he was ­contacted by reporters.

On Friday morning, he was seen walking on a nearby street of his north-side residence and ­gardeners were tending to the front garden of the property.

A Liberal candidate for Victoria is also being investigated by the AEC for allegedly lying about his residential address in his enrolment and nomination forms.

The AEC has referred LNP Isaacs candidate Robbie Beaton’s case to the Australian Federal Police for investigation, following comments he made to The Age that he lived in the electorate of ­Kooyong.

However, the AEC said candidate nominations for Isaac must stay as they were declared on April 22, despite investigations, and ballot papers had been ­printed and distributed.