Victorian election: Labor in ‘conflict of interest’ row

Three years ago a multicultural group was awarded a $5000 grant, now its senior members are helping Labor raise campaign cash.

Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews at Melbourne’s Bayswater Bowls Club on Thursday. Picture: NCA NewsWire / Andrew Henshaw

A multicultural community group credited with organising an election fundraiser for a Labor candidate billed as an “evening with Daniel Andrews” was previously awarded a $5000 grant from the Department of Premier and Cabinet.

The Australian Multicultural Organisation Melbourne, run by Indian community figures, was congratulated on social media for masterminding the $1500-a-table fundraising dinner for Labor’s candidate in the electorate of Yan Yean, Lauren Kathage.

Senior AMO members Avtar Singh, the organisation’s secretary, and Guri Singh, who is listed as its main contact point, were key organisers of the August 11 dinner at the The Grand Saffron in South Morang.

It’s believed up to 300 people were at the event to hear from the Victorian Premier, raising up to $40,000 for the Labor campaign in the outer northern suburban seats.

Melbourne multicultural figure Naveed Mughal, who attended the dinner, congratulated the AMO for the “successful fundraiser”.

“Yesterday I had the immense pleasure to attend a colourful event & a successful fundraiser for Lauren Kathage – Labor for Yan Yean organised by Avtar Singh & Australian Multicultural Organisation AMO – Melbourne and ­mutual friends.

“Premier of Victoria Dan Andrews, Rob Mitchell MP, Federal Labor Member for McEwen, Ros Spence MP State Minister for Multicultural Affairs, Kathleen Matthews-Ward Labor for Broadmeadows graced the event (with) their presence.

“We greatly appreciate support of so many friends to make the event successful. #DanielAnd­rews#labor.”

According to a seating plan on social media, Avtar Singh, Guri Singh and another Indian Australian leader, Gurdarshan Singh, were on the Premier’s table.

Mr Andrews’ spokeswoman refused to address detailed questions from The Australian on Thursday, responding almost 10 hours later with a one-sentence statement: “The Australian received $174,000 in advertising funding from the Victorian government in the past year alone – the Labor Party do not expect the support of the news outlet as a ­result.”

A Department of Premier and Cabinet report listing grants confirms that in May 2019 the AMO received a $5000 taxpayer-funded payment originally promised during the 2018 state election.

Mr Andrews at the Victorian ALP fundraising event.

The DPC report says the grant, one of several to Indian community groups, would help fund “festival and event”-related commit­ments for Sikh community organisations.

When contacted by The Australian, Avtar Singh distanced the AMO from the $1500-a-table fundraiser saying while he and Guri Singh were senior members of AMO, their roles in organising the Labor fundraiser were unrelated to the AMO. Mr Singh said the AMO had been incorrectly credited with organising the fundraiser. “The AMO didn’t do that function,” he said.

“I was the contact but the Australian Multicultural Organisation was not a part of it … I am associated with AMO as well but the (event) was independent.”

Asked if he had personally helped organise the event, Mr Singh said: “Oh yes, yes, yes. That’s right.” He said he could understand why Mr Mughal had mistakenly thought the AMO was behind the event. “He probably would have associated it with the AMO because we are associated with the AMO.”

Asked if he and Mr Guri Singh were senior members of AMO, he said: “Yes we are.”

He denied the AMO had spent any money on the Labor fundraiser. “No, no, no. No way at all.”

Mr Singh confirmed the AMO had received the $5000 grant from the DPC and indicated this had been spent on various cultural and religious events. He said no AMO funds had been spend on the ALP fundraiser.

Guri Singh did not respond to messages left by The Australian.

Revelations about the August 11 Labor dinner will place more pressure on the Victorian ALP over its multicultural fundraising strategy and follows reports in The Australian revealing how the party has used federal Immigration, Citizenship and Multicultural Affairs Minister Andrew Giles as a drawcard at Indian community events.

Mr Giles has been Labor’s star tin-rattler at four Victorian ALP events to raise campaign cash for the Andrews government’s re-election campaign since August, including a $1000-a-head private dinner where he was lobbied by Indian Australian migration agents in detail over proposed changes to multiple visa categories. No federal departmental officials were at the private dinner on October 2.

Ravi Ragupathy, an Indian-born independent candidate running for an upper house seat at the November 26 election, said the AMO should not be involved in political fundraising.