By Cam Lucadou-Wells
Fomer ALP powerbroker Adem Somyurek admitted at an IBAC inquiry to losing “all perspective” during the reignition of a factional war in the South East.
During a branch-stacking operation in early 2020, Mr Somyurek was paying for members’ fees from groups such as ‘the Somalis’ to join his Moderate Labor faction.
He conceded to the Operation Watts inquiry that he knew the practice was against ALP party rules and unethical.
“And it was in response to hostile action from the (Socialist Left faction) but that’s no excuse.
“I don’t have any evidence of that. They were turning up a lot of people.”
During a covert recording, Mr Somyurek is told by a colleague that signatures on membership forms don’t match signatures in a branch meeting attendance book.
“Do people check much?” Mr Somyurek replied to the colleague.
At the inquiry, IBAC Counsel Assisting, Chris Carr asserted: “You are entirely unperturbed by the idea that signatures have been forged in this process.”
Mr Somyurek told the inquiry that forgery was a “possibility” but there were other possible explanations.
“Do you accept that you felt no compunction at signatures having been forged?” Mr Carr later asked.
“I’m willing to say, yeah, that shouldn’t have been my response,” Mr Somyurek said.
“I should have been more concerned.
“I concede, look, I’ve lost all perspective during that time, yes, absolutely.
“I’m not going to fight on this issue. There’s footage of me in the 60 Minutes program.
“I had lost all perspective and you can condemn me in the strongest possible terms and I should be condemned in the strongest possible terms.”
He agreed people would resort to forging signatures due to “pressures” from the “stacking war”.
“But that pressure was felt on me.
“It was massive pressure on me, but not necessarily on those
people that would have done it.”
Mr Somyurek said operatives may have not been able to find members and “resorted to doing some, you know, shifty things”.
“All without your knowledge, I assume?” Mr Carr said.
“Yeah. I mean – that’s right,” Mr Somyurek said.
