MARK DREYFUS
SHADOW ATTORNEY-GENERAL
SHADOW MINISTER FOR CONSTITUTIONAL REFORM
MEMBER FOR ISAACS
LIBERAL BRANCH STACKING CORRUPTION A TEST FOR MORRISON’S LEADERSHIP
The Prime Minister must take immediate action against senior members of his own Government involved in branch stacking and abuse of Commonwealth resources.
This is a test for Scott Morrison. This is the test that he himself set when there were allegations about Victorian Labor.
Anthony Albanese showed leadership by moving immediately to expel from the party the senior Labor figure accused of branch stacking.
Daniel Andrews showed leadership by removing from his front bench those implicated in the scandal.
The test for Mr Morrison is what leadership will he demonstrate when it comes to the Victorian Branch of the Liberal Party?
The determination published by his own government makes clear “Electorate Officers … are employed to assist the Senator or Member to carry out duties as a Member of Parliament, and not for party political purposes.”
Instead, as 60 Minutes and Nine Newspapers have revealed, taxpayer-funded electorate officers were employed within the offices of Federal Liberal MPs for the sole purpose of branch-stacking.
And, it’s clear from the evidence provided by 60 Minutes, Mr Sukkar was aware of, and endorsed this clear abuse of Commonwealth resources.
As former counsel to the NSW Independent Commission Against Corruption Geoffrey Watson SC declared "I very much doubt that Sukkar can or should remain a minister of the Crown. A minister is a position of real power and thus real trust and you cannot have it in the hands of people who abuse it."
This is a clear test for Mr Morrison – will he follow Anthony Albanese’s lead and act decisively against senior figures within his own party?
It’s time for Scott Morrison to demonstrate leadership and character and expel all those involved in this scandal, and immediately establish a powerful, independent and transparent National Integrity Commission.
MONDAY, 24 AUGUST 2020
