The Victorian Labor Party has apologised for a branch stacking scheme that saw two deceased individuals signed up as members of a branch aligned to Energy Minister Lily D’Ambrosio.
The Australian recently revealed extensive branch stacking in the Labor Party’s Lalor South branch, with two people registered as paid-up party members despite being deceased.
In a statement released on Friday afternoon, the Victorian Labor’s acting state secretary apologised for the hurt the branch stacking caused to the families.
“As Acting State Secretary, and on behalf of Victorian Labor, I sincerely apologise to the families affected for the distress and hurt caused by the renewal of the memberships of their deceased loved ones,” Cameron Petrie said.
The memberships of Antonio Donato and Celestino Nigro were renewed in 2018 and 2019, despite both having passed away in 2017.
Both men, and their widows – who are still alive – were signed up to the Labor Party in 2007, however it is not clear any of them ever paid fees or signed membership forms.
Tom Donato, Antonio’s son, said he was “dumbfounded” when he found out his father had been signed up as a Labor Party member and his membership renewed for two years after his death.
Mr Donato said his father “never had any political involvement of any kind” and “wasn’t interested in politics.”
