Canberra Labor figures have called for party-wide reform following the ousting of two Victorian ministers after an explosive report about widespread branch stacking in that state.
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Victorian Assistant Treasurer Robin Scott resigned from his position on Monday night after powerbroker Adem Somyurek was sacked as a minister, and resigned from the party before being expelled. Mr Somyurek will be prevented from joining the party again.
A joint investigation by The Age and Sixty Minutes on Sunday aired serious allegations against former Victorian local government and small business minister Adem Somyurek, accusing him of leading a branch stacking operation that included the use of publicly employed staffers.
Mr Somyurek was sacked from cabinet on Monday morning following the program, but its repercussions within the party continue.
The revelations have led to calls for reform within the party. Former ACT Labor secretary Matt Byrne labelling the explosive allegations of branch stacking and bullying against a Victorian state minister as disgusting and calling for an overhaul of the party's operations.
Federal Labor MP Andrew Leigh, who isn't part of either of the main factions, emailed his supporters on Monday saying "an engaged membership and democratic preselections are our strongest protections against the kinds of shenanigans we've seen in other places".
Mr Albanese was asked by reporters about discussions about branch stacking appearing to happen in the office of federal MP Anthony Byrne, but said he hadn't spoken to him about it.
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Former ACT Labor secretary Matt Byrne wrote a lengthy Facebook essay on the issue on Sunday night.
"I am furious and disgusted by the alleged acts of corruption, misogyny and homophobia by powerful members of the Victorian Branch of the Australian Labor Party."
Mr Byrne, who stepped down as secretary of the party last year, urged all involved in corruption to be expelled from the party.
"Honest paying party members, members of affiliated unions and our supporters must know the full extent of these acts and must be satisfied that any response is meaningful and matches the seriousness of these offences."
He said moves to clean up the party had been stymied in the past because of fears dominant factions would be upset.
"For too long officials in affiliated unions and parliamentary members have chosen to side with the branch stackers and the crooks instead of siding with honest members in implementing democratic reforms and empowering the members and the movement," Mr Byrne said.
He called for a national membership system, traceable payments and regular membership audits.
Mr Somyurek said in a statement that he wanted a police investigation into the audio and video recordings used in the program, and rejected the allegations made about memberships of the party.
"It is clear I was taped and surveilled in a federal electorate office without my knowledge and that this material was published without my knowledge of its existence or my consent," he said.
He also apologised to Victorian Minister for Women Gabrielle Williams over language he used about her in the recordings.
Mr Albanese said he trusted Victorian Premier Daniel Andrews to respond and that the federal members named in the program had his full support.
"My view on tolerance of this sort of behaviour is very clear and has been very consistent over, not just since I've been leader, my attitude towards this has been consistent for a very long period of time, which is that when someone is bringing the party into disrepute, the party has a right to take action," Mr Albanese said on the ABC on Monday.