Former Andrews government minister Marlene Kairouz has accused the state’s integrity agencies of “bullying” her staff during anti-corruption hearings and issued a parting warning to Labor to not take outer-suburban communities’ support for granted.
In her valedictory speech in parliament on Tuesday afternoon, the outgoing Kororoit MP addressed for the first time the findings of a joint Independent Broad-based Anti-corruption Commission (IBAC) and ombudsman investigation that made adverse findings against her and then-Labor MP Adem Somyurek.
Happier times: Marlene Kairouz is sworn in as minister for consumer affairs in 2016. Credit:Eddie Jim
Kairouz denied being involved in an industrial-scale branch stacking operation, claimed she was in the wrong place at the wrong time and said she was collateral damage in a power play for control of the Victorian Labor Party.
“Politics should be a noble pursuit, but let me tell you first-hand that politics also attracts the worst of the worst characters in our society who are in it for the wrong reasons,” she said.
Kairouz resigned from the frontbench in 2020 following an exposé by The Age and 60 Minutes that revealed an industrial-scale branch stacking operation and prompted the joint IBAC and ombudsman investigation.
The watchdogs’ report made adverse findings against her but stopped short of referring Kairouz and Somyurek to the director of public prosecutions for criminal charges.
Labor’s factional powerbrokers dumped Kairouz, who had served in parliament for 14 years, and 11 other MPs late last year.
Kairouz described the media investigation as a “fabrication”, accused the anti-corruption agencies of bullying and brutalising her staff, and attacked former federal MP Anthony Byrne, who blew the whistle on the branch stacking activities of Labor’s Moderates faction.
“The mercenaries, the guns for fire, that is the lawyers who sat in judgment of you [Kairouz’s electorate and ministerial staff] do not understand the concept of working for a cause, for values or for ideals,” Kairouz said.
“You were bullied and you were brutalised by those who have never stepped foot inside an electorate office and who’s probably never stepped foot in the outer western suburbs.
Marlene Kairouz with her parents on the day she was elected to parliament in 2008. Credit:Melanie Faith Dove
“You were also abused and left with considerable emotional damage by IBAC and the ombudsman … you always went above and beyond the call of duty in your roles, doing your jobs, servicing the electorate after hours and on weekends.”
She also urged the Labor Party to “listen to those communities” in the outer suburbs whose support the party is at risk of losing.
Party officials have recognised there is significant discontent in the outer suburbs, where people disproportionately felt the adverse health and economic impacts of the pandemic.
The federal election result in May showed a steep decline in Labor’s primary vote in safe seats in Melbourne’s north and west.
Labor is throwing the bulk of its resources into key outer suburban and regional seats in November’s state election, including the electorate of Melton in the outer west, Yan Yean in the outer north and Narre Warren North in the outer south-east.
“Don’t take them for granted, and don’t leave them behind, because they will leave you behind,” Kairouz said.
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