Labor Party review will return power to 'true believers': Andrews
Premier Daniel Andrews says his order for a full review of the Victorian Labor Party in light of revelations over branch stacking will return the party to the "true believers".
On Tuesday the Labor Party's national executive unanimously approved Mr Andrews' request to conduct a wide-ranging review into branch stacking, suspend all state and federal preselections for the next three years and suspend the voting rights of every member.
The Premier fronted the media on Wednesday morning and made a promise to Labor's "true believers".
"I am going to make sure that your voice is louder than it has ever been," he said.
"Rather than having some sort of review that might convince a few people that we are serious about this, but ultimately not lead to the profound reform we need, I have gone a different way.
"There's no democracy if you can't have faith and trust in the voters' roll."
The party review will require every member of the Victorian Labor Party to ratify their membership and prove they are "genuine", after The Age and 60 Minutes this week revealed the branch stacking practices of axed powerbroker Adem Somyurek, in which he allegedly paid the sign-up fees of new members in return for their support.
"It would be unacceptable to me to get to a position where ... we didn't have processes that, for instance, require people to essentially re-sign up to attend in person, to pay by traceable means, to reaffirm their commitment so that we know they are members of the party, they are willing participants in this process, they are genuine, if you like, and that they are self-funded at the very least."
Former Victorian premier Steve Bracks and long-time federal frontbencher Jenny Macklin have been appointed as administrators of the state division until January 31, 2021, as they lead the review.
It will mean candidates at the next federal and state elections will be preselected by the national executive.
In a letter to the executive, Mr Andrews said he had "no confidence in the integrity of any voting rolls" produced in Victoria.
"Accordingly, we must suspend those elections and begin a long and critical process of validating each and every member of the Labor Party in Victoria as genuine, consenting and self-funded," he wrote.
Mr Andrews is facing scrutiny for failing to know about the allegations of branch stacking within his party until they were aired on television.
Marlene Kairouz on Tuesday became the third minister to leave cabinet over the scandal, after factional allies Adem Somyurek and Robin Scott left the ministry on Monday.
Mr Somyurek was booted as a Local Government and Small Business Minister and lost his Labor Party membership on Monday.
He denies the branch stacking allegations and wants police to investigate the recordings used in the expose.
Both Mr Scott and Ms Kairouz vowed to clear their names but said they didn't want to cause a distraction for the government or add to their families' distress.
More to come.
with AAP
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