The Liberal Party's Victorian director says he wants "detailed responses" from party members allegedly linked to branch-stacking, after Channel Nine aired allegations against a conservative powerbroker connected to federal Minister Michael Sukkar and veteran MP Kevin Andrews.
Key points:
- 60 Minutes aired secret recordings in a report alleging branch-stacking in the Victorian Liberal Party
- The Prime Minister's office says it's an issue for the party's Victorian division
- State director Sam McQuestin says the party will "decide urgently on immediate actions to be taken" after reviewing responses from those named in the report
The Nine reports allege party powerbroker Marcus Bastiaan directed taxpayer-funded electorate officers to recruit party members to boost factional numbers while they were working in Mr Andrews's office.
Mr Sukkar, the Assistant Treasurer and Housing Minister, is not alleged to have been actively involved in stacking Liberal branches, but the reports allege he benefited from it.
Mr Andrews said he had referred allegations regarding staff in his office to the Secretary of the Department of Finance for independent review.
The former minister and member for Menzies, in Melbourne's north-east, said the Nine reports made a number of allegations that were false.
"The suggestion that I would be coerced into making decisions on staffing arrangements in my Electorate Office by others is untrue,'' he said.
"As 'Father of the House' my integrity and my reputation mean everything."
Prime Minister Scott Morrison's office said: "This is an organisational matter for the Victorian division of the party."
Plans laid bare in secret recordings
Mr Bastiaan is accused of targeting social and religious conservatives over several years in Victoria and has some powerful allies within the state branch, including former president Michael Kroger.
He also has many enemies.
Secret recordings aired on Sunday night by The Age and 60 Minutes included a recorded telephone call in which Mr Bastiaan outlines a plan to:
"…change the [party] constitution … and open up preselections for 2020 when we've got the numbers all eligible, we're locked in, we're institutionalised, we've got our members in the upper house, we've got a state director around our finger."
In another taped recording, Mr Sukkar — the Assistant Treasurer and Minister for Housing — outlines his wish to "get rid of" Victorian Upper House members who voted in support of voluntary assisted dying:
"My view is there is four people in the upper house on our side who have broken faith: Simon Ramsay, Bruce Atkinson, Mary Wooldridge, Ed O'Donohue. I think we can get rid of Simon Ramsay. We can potentially get rid of Bruce Atkinson, that's harder, but we can, it is still in the mix. So that is two out of the four gone."
In a statement last night, state director Sam McQuestin said the Liberal Party took the integrity of its membership very seriously.
"The party will be seeking full and detailed responses from party members who were named in the 60 Minutes report or who may be able to provide further information on relevant matters,'' he said.
"The party will decide urgently on immediate actions to be taken and will determine further measures having regard to the responses received and the findings of any further investigations."
The ABC has sought comment from Mr Sukkar.
'I hope I'll be wiser and kinder in my thirties': Bastiaan
Also aired were social media messages allegedly authored by Mr Bastiaan that contained crude comments.
Last night, Mr Bastiaan said: "Clearly I have said some foolish and stupid things in my twenties. I apologise without reservation to those I have offended, and hope I'll be wiser and kinder in my thirties."
Mr Bastiaan did not comment on the other allegations.
In the lead-up to the airing of Sunday night's program the state branch had been awash with rumours and finger pointing between factional enemies about what was to be exposed.
Last week, Mr McQuestin revealed an audit of the membership had found some irregularities around the payment of membership fees, potentially in breach of the party's rules.
There were worries of a major data breach of membership details.
Senior figures also warned that the leaked material would spark "a gangland war" in the state branch.
https://news.google.com/__i/rss/rd/articles/CBMiY2h0dHBzOi8vd3d3LmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvbmV3cy8yMDIwLTA4LTI0L3ZpY3Rvcmlhbi1saWJlcmFsLXBhcnR5LWJyYW5jaC1zdGFja2luZy1hbGxlZ2F0aW9ucy8xMjU4NzgyNNIBJ2h0dHBzOi8vYW1wLmFiYy5uZXQuYXUvYXJ0aWNsZS8xMjU4NzgyNA?oc=5
2020-08-23 19:18:00Z
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