A GROUP of powerful left-wing unions have called for the ALP to change its rules and force all Victorian Labor MPs to live within 5km of their seat
A formal motion has been submitted to the party and will need to be considered at state conference in a fortnight, calling for a ban of candidates who are “enrolled at an address outside 5km” of the seat’s border.It is understood the new rule, if adopted, would also affect sitting MPs. This would cause a cataclysm inside Labor with several senior federal MPs and state ministers currently living in suburbs well outside their electorates.
The issue of where MPs live flared last year when it was revealed Labor speaker Telmo Languiller and his deputy Don Nardella
rorted taxpayer money by claiming to live in the country.
Mr Languiller claimed almost $40,000 by claiming to live in Queenscliff while representing the western suburbs seat of Tarneit, while Mr Nardella rorted almost $100,000 by claiming to live in Ocean Grove while representing the outer western suburbs seat of Melton.