Vic stacking scandal claims fourth scalp

Luke Donnellan has become the fourth Victorian minister to leave cabinet as part of the branch stacking scandal engulfing the state’s Labor government.

Mr Donnellan, who held the portfolios of child protection, ageing, disability and carers, announced he would step down from Premier Daniel Andrews’ cabinet immediately.

His resignation came just hours after federal MP Anthony Byrne on Monday told an Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission inquiry branch stacking was “out of control” in Victoria.

Mr Byrne said both he and Mr Donnellan paid Labor Party membership fees on behalf of others as part of a “well-entrenched” operation led by former powerbroker Adem Somyurek.

He told the inquiry he spent about $10,000 in the past five years on memberships, while cash from Labor Party fundraisers went into a “kitty” kept in his office and used for the same purposes.

Mr Byrne said Mr Donnellan and Mr Somyurek would have spent “roughly the same amount, perhaps more in the past couple of years”.

Mr Somyurek quit the Labor Party last year before he was expelled following an investigation by The Age and 60 Minutes, which caught him handing over cash and using parliamentary staff to create fake branch members.

His factional allies Robin Scott and Marlene Kairouz also resigned from cabinet following the expose.

Mr Byrne said he observed Mr Somyurek and Ms Kairouz coercing electorate and ministerial staff to do factional work during paid hours “to the exclusion of just about anything else”.

Branch stacking involves recruiting or signing up members to a political party’s local branch to influence candidate pre-selections.

It is not illegal, but is against Labor Party rules to pay for other’s memberships.

In a statement, Mr Donnellan said that while he had breached party rules he had “never misused public funds or resources in any way. And this has absolutely nothing to do with my staff”.

“However, I don’t believe it is possible or appropriate to maintain my ministerial responsibilities given these rule breaches,” he said.

Mr Andrews thanked Mr Donnellan, saying he would leave “a legacy of reform of which he can be proud”.

The premier said that following Mr Donnellan’s departure from the ministry, James Merlino and Richard Wynne had been sworn in to additional portfolios on Monday night.

In the short term the deputy premier would add disability, ageing and carers while Mr Wynne would take on child protection.

“Broader changes to the ministry will be made at a later date,” Mr Andrews said.

The premier, who called the IBAC inquiry, will likely be grilled on the scandal when parliament resumes on Tuesday.

Mr Byrne will continue to give evidence at the inquiry on Tuesday. He will be followed by former electorate officer Ellen Schreiber.

Vic stacking scandal claims fourth scalp
Independent Information