Local Liberal boss calls for elections investigation

By Noel Murphy
GEELONG’S Liberal Party boss has called on the state branch to investigate whether the party is funding candidates in the city’s mayoral and ward elections.
State director Damien Mantach confirmed Pat Peel had written to him raising concerns the party’s “good name’’ was “being dragged through the mud’’ because of reported Liberal links to Geelong Chamber of Commerce boss Bernadette Uzelac’s mayoral campaign.
“The Geelong branch wishes 104/Liberal HQ to clearly and publicly dissociate itself from any support of the candidate…as at the moment it appears to the wider community that this is, at least tacitly, an endorsed Liberal party candidate,’’ Mrs Peel wrote.
She also raised concerns whether “any Liberal party funds have been allocated directly or indirectly to any participating candidates’’.
Mr Mantach said he had seen the letter but it was meant to be private correspondence.
“The fact that’s found its way to a journalist indicates something else entirely.”
The Independent has also seen Corio Federal Electoral Conference September meeting draft minutes referring to a “Liberal Party Local Government Taskforce’’.
The taskforce would assist “various candidates in…City of Greater Geelong, Surf Coast Shire and Golden Plains Shire’’.
Prominent Geelong Liberal Helene Bender said the taskforce only helped or encouraged people who might be interested in running for council.
The assistance was “definitely not financial’’, she said.