World News – AU – Former Labor Minister Adem Somyurek accuses Prime Minister Daniel Andrews of stacking historic branches

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The disgraced former state government minister Adem Somyurek has accused Prime Minister Daniel Andrews of stacking branches during an extraordinary speech in the state parliament.

The House of Lords MP returned to parliament for the first time since his release from cabinet and Labor in June to make a personal statement on a 60-minute reveal accusing him of large-scale two-tier operation.

In his statement this morning, he reiterated his innocence, accusing 60 minutes and the age of biased journalism and doing a « hatchet job » against him.

He also accused Andrews of having been involved in the piling up of ethnic branches in southeast Melbourne before joining Parliament in the 1990s.

« The right, that is, the SDA (Shop Distributive and Allied Employees’ Association) and the SL (Socialist Left), found themselves in the middle of a protracted two-staple war for Holt’s coveted seat, » he said.

Media reports claim to have exposed stacking of branches on an « industrial scale » in the Victorian Labor Party. But what exactly is branch stacking?

« We have no comment on this person or anything that they could claim, » said the spokesman.

Victoria’s anti-corruption watchdog and the Ombudsman are currently investigating allegations that branches were stacked earlier this year.

Mr Somyurek said the Independent Broad-based Anti-Corruption Commission (IBAC) should be given more funding to resolve the matter with him.

Amid allegations of branch stacking, Mr. Andrews ordered the suspension of local voting rights and moved for a membership review.

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Adem Somyurek, Daniel Andrews, branch stacking, Australian Labor Party (Victorian branch), Prime Minister, Victoria