By Casey Neill
Greater Dandenong MPs are among those embroiled in a scandal over misused funds at the 2014 State Election.
The Victorian Ombudsman, Deborah Glass, found that the Labor Party paid $387,842 in State Government staff allowances to campaigners from 3 March to 29 November.
The offices of Keysborough MP and Attorney-General Martin Pakula, retired Dandenong MP John Pandazopoulos and South-East Metropolitan representatives Adem Somyurek and Lee Tarlamis were among those used.
Ms Glass found the spend from Mr Pandazopoulos’s office was $21,757 and supported Cranbourne MP Jude Perera.
The $19,931 and $15,171 from the offices of Mr Tarlamis and Mr Somyurek respectively paid for campaigners for Narre Warren North MP Luke Donnellan and unsuccessful Frankston candidate Paul Edbrooke.
Mr Pakula’s office spent $5354 that supported Mordialloc MP Tim Richardson’s campaign.
Ms Glass also highlighted Mr Pakula’s $1 million in unsuccessful attempts to challenge her jurisdiction to carry out an investigation, in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeal and the High Court.
Mr Pakula said Ms Glass first launched the case.
“The legal principles that were tested in this matter were very important principles to be tested,” he said.
Dandenong MP Gabrielle Williams replaced Mr Pandazopoulos.
“I only had personal involvement in my own campaign,” she said.
“I ran my own campaign independent of John Pandazopoulos’ office and in accordance with the rules.”
In a statement on Wednesday 21 March, Premier and Mulgrave MP Daniel Andrews said the Ombudsman said the MPs involved acted in good faith and derived little or no personal benefit from the use of parliamentary funds.
“She makes no recommendations that action be taken against anyone involved in these arrangements,” he said.
Mr Andrews said the Labor Party would reimburse the funds.
